Harry Potter and the New Way of Life
by HannahReneeStar
Summary: Between the last real chapter of DH and the epilogue. Shows how Harry adjusts to life without fear of Voldemort, plus the budding romances of Harry-Ginny and Ron-Hermione, plus maybe a few others added in. MA for sexual content. Read & Review, please!
1. After the Battle

The Gryffindor Common Room was quiet, still, and at first glance empty. The younger students had evacuated during the day, and the surviving older students were in the dorms packing up everything for the trip home the next day. The battle of Hogwarts had ended, Voldemort was dead. Yet a stillness fell upon the whole castle: the stillness of mourning. Among the Gryffindors Colin Creevey, the one underage wizard to stay for the battle was dead. Former Gryffindor and in the opinion of many the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher they had had, Remus Lupin was also counted among the dead. Another was one of Gryffindor's most famous miscreants, the beloved Fred Weasley. The other deaths wouldn't be known until morning, and people feared for those whose beds were empty, not knowing if they had left or stayed.

Yet there were indeed people in the Gryffindor common room, however still and silent they were. In one corner a lanky red-headed boy was holding a fluffy haired girl. Near the door a black haired youth with a skinny lightning bolt scar across his forehead was sitting with his head bowed, his elbows on his knees. A glance to the clock above the fireplace told Harry Potter that it was just after five in the morning, yet that was as good as telling him that there were gnomes in the greenhouses: it didn't seem to matter anymore.

Finally, what seemed a lifetime later, the portrait hole opened, and in walked a girl with flowing red hair, a tear stained face, and glowing brown eyes that were locked on Harry. He stood up, opened his arms, and felt Ginny rush into them. Hugging her reassuringly, he heard a rustle behind him that told him that Hermione and Ron had stood up to see who the newcomer was. Upon seeing Harry and Ginny holding each other there was the sound of whispers through which Harry caught "privacy" and "they better not". Ignoring the sound of his two best friends behind him, Harry looked down at Ginny, who was giving him that look. The look told Harry that she understood, that he needn't say anything, not about Fred, Colin, Remus, or any of the others. So he chose a topic as unrelated as possible.

"Did your parents go back to the Burrow?" He asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. Ginny nodded, looking up at him. "They, Percy, Bill, Fleur, and George all went back with F-, with the body." She whispered, hiding her face to his chest. A wet feeling through the thin fabric informed Harry that the one thing he _never_ wanted to see happen was happening: Ginny Weasley was crying. Buckling slightly at the thought of emotional pain going through her, Harry slipped a finger under her chin and raised her face to where he could see her. Tears glistened in her eyes, and he squeezed her tighter up against him.

"Ginny…don't…he's on to the next great adventure!" He said, thinking of the description Dumbledore had given Harry in his first year at Hogwarts. At the word "adventure" a ghost of a smile reached Ginny's lips, something Harry was trying his hardest not to look at. However, his own private war was taking place in his head.

_You bastard don't you dare take advantage of her…_

_They're quivering…and kissing those lips quivering like that…_

_She's in emotional pain! Don't you dare try anything with her now!_

_But it might bring her some relief!_

_Don't you even think about it anymore._

Harry distracted himself by glancing over at Ron and Hermione, who were nestled over in their corner, hopefully not registering Harry and Ginny's whispered exchange. Ron was looking out the tower window, stroking Hermione's hair in the process. Glancing at Ginny's blazing red hair; Harry decided that mimicking that action was less than safe at the moment.

Finally Ginny broke the silence. "I suppose so." She said resignedly, turning her face away from him and moving to wipe away her tears with her arm. Harry instinctively caught her arm before it reached its target, his other hand coaxing her face back towards him. Her expression showed confusion at first, but upon seeing his face, something else. Harry would hazard to give it the title _desire_. Slowly she disengaged her arm from his hand, and slid both hands to his shoulders. Harry's other hand reached her face as well, his thumbs clumsily whipping at her cheeks. Tears still dripping silently from the big brown eyes he was locked with, Harry leaned in and softly pressed his lips to the inner corner of her eye. Ginny's arms glided around his torso, pulling her as tight to him as possible. Slowly and surely, Harry traced the bottom of her right eye with his lips, and then her left. With several of the same feather light kisses he made his way down her cheek, finally pressing against her quaking lips. He meant for it to be innocent, meant for it to be a gesture that he cared. He _meant_ to pull his lips off of hers as quickly as he had pressed them there.

Ginny, however, seemed to have different plans. Her arms moved up and closed around his neck, pulling his face as close as possible down to hers. Her lips moved with a frenzy, moving all over his and finally opening over his, slowly edging her tongue into his mouth. Harry reacted without thinking: kissing her back, opening his mouth with hers, giving a friendly greeting to the tongue that had made its way into his mouth. Yet his brain got in the way, and finally he ended the kiss tenderly, with a quick peck to clear away doubts. Ginny grinned up at him ruefully, dropping her eyes to the floor quickly as though ashamed. Harry rubbed her forearms reassuringly, and her eyes met his again, soft smiles on both faces.

Yet even as she smiled, Ginny's eyes closed and her mouth opened, her hand reaching up to delicately shield her mouth as she yawned, moving her face away to hide this fact from Harry. Not deceived, Harry glanced at the clock. It was nearly five thirty. His arms closing around her waist, he rocked her side to side playfully.

"It's late." He said, looking down at her. "And we've got to get on the train in the morning and then make our way back to the Burrow. It'll be a long day. We both need to rest."

"Yeah, you're right. And I think Ron and Hermione have already beaten us to that." She said with a soft giggle, which quickly turned into another yawn. Harry followed her eyes over to the corner where Ron and Hermione lay slumped over on each other.

"Here…you sleep on the sofa by the fire." He said, gesturing to the sofa a ways behind where they stood. Walking her there, he conjured her a green blanket and pillow, setting them out for her. She lay down on the unusually wide sofa, giggling slightly as he made a fumbled attempt to tuck her in, and finally gave up. He kissed her good night, whispered "Sweet dreams", and started walking towards an arm chair.

"Harry?" Came Ginny's voice from behind him, sounding tinier than usual.

"Yes?" He asked gently, turning back to face her. The dwindling firelight crept across her face strangely, making her appear as though a human fire herself. A _small_ human fire.

"Stay with me…please?" The plea in her voice caught at Harry's heart, and it was all he could do to nod.

"Of course." He managed finally as she stood back up to let him lay on the back of the couch. She too got back on the couch, her back to him. His right arm slid over her tenderly under the blanket, and he felt her relax a little at his touch.

"Thanks," she whispered quietly, and he pulled her tighter to him instinctively. His hand found hers, and lightly held it with a small squeeze.

"Goodnight, Harry." She said, pulling their hands up to her mouth and pressing a kiss against his.

"Goodnight, Ginny." He said, kissing her on the head. Sluggishly black crept around his vision, and his eyelids fell. Before he knew it, he was asleep.


	2. A Long Way Home

**Author's note: Thanks for all the feedback! Again, please read and review! Although I might not agree with everything you say, and I'm not going to tell you what happens next (I've got to keep you reading my work, don't I?), I do like to know what people think. So thanks to everyone who's already reviewed!**

Looking around, all Harry saw was anguish. A blinding green light, and Colin Creevey fell, dead. Another light, and Fred Weasley fell as well. Remus Lupin. Nymphadora Tonks Lupin. All his fault, all his fault. He heard them yelling out, and then another type of yelling, although he couldn't figure out what was so different about it. He was in pain, pain for the ones who had died for him. As he watched countless faceless others fall, he felt pain of a different sort, and heard louder yelling. Yet this new pain was different, enough to jar him to his senses…

Harry awoke on the same sofa that he had fallen asleep on the night before. Yet there was no Ginny lying in front of him. Looking up, he saw that she was standing between him and an obviously irate Ron, whose clenched fist was splattered in fresh blood. As he woke up more he became aware to the precise words being yelled about.

"Stop it! He didn't do anything, we didn't do anything, and I'm the one who bloody asked him to stay with me!" Ginny was shouting, her hands on her hips in a fashion reminiscent of Mrs. Weasley.

"Don't feed me that…he did…you did… you two…" Ron was shouting incoherently, and as Harry slid his glasses back on he was able to notice why he hadn't already charged over Ginny: Hermione was behind him, holding onto his robes, pleading with him.

"Ron, they fell asleep, just like we did!" She was shouting, and Harry couldn't take it anymore. He should have seen this coming, and would even have a bit of sympathy for Ron if his nose wasn't issuing warm, sticky red blood like a faucet. Standing up, he drew the attention of the three to him at once.

"Wut duh hell choo do dat for, huh?" He said, noticing now that his nose was definitely broken. "We didn' do anyfink. Hones'. Calm down." He attempted to staunch the blood flow with the blanket he had conjured; he didn't trust himself to perform the nose-correcting spell properly on himself when he couldn't speak well enough.

"Just fell asleep? Hermione listen to yourself! Did his wand create that blanket and pillow without him telling to?" Ron yelled, turning on Hermione. Unnoticed, Ginny bent down in front of Harry, pulled down the blanket from his face, and pulled out her wand. With a small movement she muttered "Episky", and he felt his nose healed. She then busied herself with siphoning the blood away from his face.

"Thanks, Gin." He murmured before standing up and walking to Ron and Hermione. Ginny followed him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Well excuse Harry for having a little courtesy. Maybe he realized that Ginny wouldn't want to spend the night shivering in the cold, hmm?" Hermione was saying, and Harry felt awful. Less than twelve hours before Ron and Hermione had finally gotten together after three nauseating years of waiting, and they were already bickering. Over him, no less.

"Quiet, alright? Ron, just hear me out. I originally intended to leave the blanket and pillow here with Ginny and sleep on that armchair myself, but she called me back over, alright? We didn't do anything, we just fell asleep! Trust me, I died last night and decided to come back and save your asses anyway, so I was just a little too tired to try anything with her last night."

He stopped, listening to the silence that followed his words. Ron had fallen silent, looking abashed. Ginny was looking at him, her face strangely white. She still hadn't heard all of what happened the night before. Hermione was clutched Ron's hand, their squabble seemingly forgotten for the time being.

"S…sorry, mate. I overreacted. Seeing you under that blanket with Ginny…it just struck a chord. I shouldn't of. I'm sorry to you too, Ginny." Ron said, still staring at the carpet. Harry's anger vanished as well.

"It's alright. In your shoes I would have reacted similarly. Come on…let's go get some breakfast before the train leaves, alright?" He said, gesturing out the portrait hole. Ron nodded, clutching Hermione's hand tighter. Harry turned to Ginny, who was still white.

"You…died last night…and came back?" She managed in barely more than a whisper.

"Kinda, I mean…it's not like I arose from the dead. I just didn't wholly die." He said, not feeling like explaining the whole Deathly Hallows concept to her in the middle of the Gryffindor Common Room. Nor did he want to explain about the Horcruxes, along with his own unintentional involvement in that.

"But you said you came back…like you had a choice." She said, staring up at him.

"I did. And I chose to come back, because I couldn't leave everyone here," he whispered back, hardly aware that Ron and Hermione were still watching him.

"But then…I could have lost you. Last night there was a point I thought I had lost both you and Fred. I guess I came closer to that than I thought…" She said, her voice wavering. Groaning at the thought of her distress, Harry pulled her into a tight hug. As he held her, his thoughts whirred. He was on the same level as Fred with her, whom he knew was one of Ginny's favorite brothers. It made him wonder… did she still think of him as a boyfriend, or did she think of him as another brother? Well…if what she told him at Dumbledore's funeral was true…she had never thought of him as a brother. And last night… he sincerely doubted she would act that way with a brother… but then again, no brother would kiss her like he had…

"Ginny…listen to me. I'm alright, I'm here. Voldemort's dead. I'll explain everything when we get to the Burrow, I just can't here. Do you understand?" He asked, stepping back so he could see her, his hands still on her shoulders, hers on his back. With a swift glance he saw Hermione leading Ron out the portrait hole, hand in hand. He then looked down at Ginny, and their eyes locked.

"Of course. We better follow before Ron thinks you're raping me or something." She said, rolling her eyes. Harry gave a soft laugh-like noise, and agreed. Ginny removed her hands from his back and slid her arm around his. _Not holding hands…or does this count as the same thing? _Harry thought, mentally cursing whatever caused girls' minds to be so different than those of males.

They stepped together out of the portrait hole, and made their way to the grand staircase. Looking over, they saw that Ron and Hermione barely had a head start ahead of them. Harry and Ginny caught up with them easily, and the four entered the Entrance Hall together. Yet right as they were about to enter the Great Hall, Harry noticed a piece of parchment posted on the wall. He pointed it out to Ginny, and the two walked over to it, Ron and Hermione following. Up close, Harry could read exactly what it said, although he slightly wished he hadn't seen it.

Confirmed Dead

Remus Lupin

Nymphadora Tonks Lupin

Fred Weasley

Colin Creevey

Ernie Macmillan

Argus Filch

List will be added to as needed

"Ernie… and Filch…those are the only ones we didn't know about." Harry said, closing his eyes. They still didn't have all the names, and he had a feeling that some of the bodies that had been in the Great Hall last night had been too mangled to identify. But where were they now? As the group walked into the Great Hall, they were relieved to note that the bodies were not there. The Hall was empty compared to how Harry always thought of it; it more resembled Hogwarts at Christmas, only without the festivities. There was only one table set up, and the rest of the hall was filled with the belongings of the many students that had been evacuated. The possessions of those who had stayed were being stacked in the Entrance Hall, as a minor way of sorting them. Breakfast was a sullen affair, with few attempts at conversation, none of which lasted long. Finally, Professor Sprout walked into the Hall.

"Students, the train is here. Don't worry about the baggage; we'll get it, as always. The carriages were damaged last night, though. So you'll have to walk down to Hogsmeade." She said, and stood aside as the students made their way out to the train. There they found a group of underage students, who apparently hadn't been picked up by their parents the night before.

Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione found a compartment to themselves. Yet before the train had even departed, they found themselves joined by Luna and Dean Thomas. Luna was warmly greeted by the group, and Dean was acknowledged soundly as well. Personally, Harry nodded greetings to Dean and then put a casual arm on the back of the bench seat- behind Ginny's head. It was silly, really. Harry didn't even know what to think of himself and Ginny as a pair. Ginny, however, seemed to notice, and gave him a coy little smile.

"Jealous?" She breathed in his ear. The sensation made him squirm a little bit, but he met her gaze.

"You got snippy with Cho." He reminded her in the same volume, watching her turn slightly pink in the face. Looking over at where Hermione and Ron were holding hands, Harry saw that Ron was looking flustered at their whispered exchange. Deciding to nip this in the bud, he leaned over Ginny so that he could see Luna, who was sitting beside her.

"So, Luna, since I haven't seen you all year, what did you get on your O.W.L.s?" He asked casually. Hermione and Ron both turned toward her, obviously interested in what classes Luna had done well in.

"Well, I managed an E in Defense Against the Dark Arts, mostly thanks to you, Harry. I received an O in Care of Magical Creatures, an A in Divination, an A in Charms, and an A in Transfiguration. I was a little disappointed, but it's alright. I'm not even sure if I'm going back next year." She said matter-of-factly.

"Why not?" Hermione asked, apparently appalled at the idea of Luna dropping out. Ron gave her a look that very clearly said "Here we go", but Hermione chose to ignore it. Harry turned attentively towards Luna, and in this action saw that this was also news to Ginny.

"Oh, because I already know what I'm going to do. I'm going to travel, documenting animals such as Crumple-horned Snorkaks. Daddy's going to pay me for writing articles on my finds. If all goes well I can also sell them to other newspapers. I really don't need N.E.W.T.s for that type of thing, and since the system has been corrupted by goblins hoping to decrease the intelligence level of wizards and witches, I don't think I want to take the tests." She said slowly and dreamily. Harry and Ron exchanged looks of pure amusement, Hermione rolled her eyes, and Ginny just smiled and nodded. Dean, however, had a puzzled look. Before Harry could even finish thinking "Oh no…", Dean had asked the question.

"Goblins infiltrated the N.E.W.T. system? Are you serious?" He asked, and Harry heard Ron groan slightly. Harry glanced out the window, they had started moving. He could just make out the edge of Hogsmeade village, where wizards and witches were outside, waving wands, apparently attempting to raise the protection the Death Eaters had placed on the village.

"Oh yes. Daddy uncovered it four years ago. They're working on the O.W.L. system now, but it's harder to crack because of the polliwotters." Luna said, and she and Dean started in a conversation on the topic. Dean, it appeared, did not doubt Luna's ideas as much as Harry did.

"So are you three coming back to retake your seventh year?" Ginny asked as Luna and Dean became even further engrossed in discussion. Hermione, who was sitting between Ron and Dean, was glad for the distraction.

"Well, I'm planning on it. I've given some thought, and I want to enter the Ministry as part of the Magical Law Department. It's about time someone with a fair sense of the law was in there. So of course I'll need top N.E.W.T.s to enter the ministry." She said, the old glint back in her eye that had to do with studying. Ron seemed to notice it, too. He got this soft look on his face, and it was all Harry could do not to laugh. He caught Ginny's eye instead, and saw that she was in the same predicament as he. "What about you two?" Hermione continued, and Harry exchanged bewildered looks at Ron.

"I dunno," he said after a moment's silence. "Ron and I wanted to become Aurors, but I dunno. Still up for it, mate?" Harry asked Ron. Ron didn't seem to need time to think.

"I am if you are!" He said, looking from Harry to Hermione. "Trio still together then?"

"I guess it's settled." Said Harry, smiling. The thought was a happy one: another year at Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione. Not to mention, the part of his brain closest to the red headed girl beaming up at him said, Ginny.

"Excellent. We'll rock the entry exams, especially you." Ron said, and Harry nodded. Then a thought struck Harry that he hadn't thought of before.

"What are you planning on doing after you graduate, Ginny?" He asked, having no idea in the slightest. He could picture her as an auror, or helping out George at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, or—

"I'm thinking of going into Journalism." She said.

"JOURNALISM?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione all asked at once, all obviously surprised.

"Yep," Ginny said as though she had just declared the sky to be blue. "Someone needs to put an ounce of truth in a credible newspaper. I'm thinking of working at the shop with George until I can raise enough money, and then opening a new newspaper." She said, positively glowing about being able to tell this to them. Harry was under the impression that she had held this idea for some time.

"Well you'll be great at that; you definitely have had a crash course on what not to write." Harry said, smiling down on her. As surprising as the idea was at first, Harry could definitely see where Ginny was coming from.

Harry looked out the window; they were passing villages in the countryside now. Harry saw attempts at reconstruction everywhere. There were wizards and witches attempting to build back a bridge that Harry hazard guessed had been stepped on by a giant. A few seconds later he could see a witch cleaning up a building that appeared to have been ransacked by Death Eaters. A while later he saw a wizard administrating chocolate to children, a dementor being chased away by a seal patronus.

Around lunch time, Neville showed up at the compartment door. Harry, who was taking up about as much room as humanly possible (arms both outstretched, legs out in the middle of the compartment, hips barely on the seat), sat up to make room.

"Has the trolley been by yet?" Neville asked, leaning against the doorframe. Five of the six in the compartment shook their heads, Luna was busy looking through her bag for some Yuppidy leaves to show to Dean.

"She comes up from the back, and we're near the front. Are you sitting in front or behind us?" Hermione asked, leaning over Ron in the process. Ron, Harry noticed, quickly became very interested in the luggage racks over their heads.

"We're sitting in the old prefect's compartment… she wanted some privacy. Prying questions, you know." Neville said, giving a quick glance behind him. Harry saw a figure moving behind Neville, but had no idea who it could be.

"'We'…'she'…who's with you, Neville?" Asked Ron with an incredulous look, his mind obviously having jumped in a direction that Harry's was heading…

"Hannah. She's pretty upset, she and Ernie were such good friends, you know," Neville informed them before he stepped out of view for a second.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances before Harry caught Neville reentering through the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw Hannah Abbott behind him looking crestfallen, tear tracks snaking down her face. Her hair wasn't in her signature pigtails that she had worn the whole seven years Harry had known her, but instead tied in a single ponytail, as though she had not wished to bother with it. She was wearing a wrinkled tee shirt and equally wrinkly jeans; clearly her mind was on other things. Hermione leapt up out of her seat, traded with Ron, and motioned Hannah to sit on her other side. Hannah obliged, and Harry scooted closer to Ginny (which he thought, might not be the safest choice) and moved his head to indicate that Neville should sit. Neville plopped down next to Harry, looking at ease in the compartment.

"How have you all been? Oh hey Luna, didn't see you back there!" Neville said, apparently attempting to draw attention away from where Hermione had an arm around Hannah, trying to console her a bit.

"Oh yes, I was looking for Yuppidy leaves." Luna said, holding up a little green thing that reminded Harry of a bird's beak. Neville just nodded his head, as though this were normal for him. Leaves reminded Harry of Neville's main talent: Herbology. Was Neville returning? There was one way to find out…

"Coming back, Neville?" Harry asked him; putting his legs back out into the middle of the compartment. There was no need for clarification; Neville nodded his answer before scratching the back of his head.

"Absolutely. And then I'm going to travel for a few years, you know-study magical herbs in their native habitat. Then maybe I'll come back to Hogwarts and teach." Neville said, and Harry didn't doubt that it would come true for him someday. Neville seemed to have a gift with plants. "What about you, Hannah? Coming back for N.E.W.T.s?" He asked the blonde girl, and to Harry's surprise she shook her head.

"I…I'm taking over my father's business. He owns a quill shop in the Hollow." She said, smiling sadly. "Besides, after the flock of birds in O.W.L.s, no thank you." Hannah appeared relieved that the attention was away from her predicament about Ernie, and Harry could definitely relate. Yet something in her last sentence clicked in his mind, but before Harry was completely there, Hermione had asked the question.

"'The Hollow', as in Godric's Hollow?" She asked, leaning out a little towards the isle.

"Well yes! My family's lived there for ages. Is it true that the snake that Neville killed attacked you while you were there?" Hannah asked, and Harry nodded. He didn't want to go into it, and was happy at the distraction of the food cart. Harry smiled at the witch and watched as Hermione pulled Harry's money out of the beaded bag, which she still had with her. Neville started to stand up to buy something, but Harry caught him by his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"On me." Harry said, taking his money from Hermione and buying most of what was on the cart. Saddling back in with levitated amounts of candy and assorted other junk food, he sat down on his seat while Hermione conjured a table. Lowering the food down on the table, he gestured for everyone to eat. There were a few seconds of silence as everyone appreciated the food in their mouths, and then the silence was broken by Neville.

"So, Hannah, what's this about a flock of birds during O.W.L.s?" Neville asked, and Hannah blushed. It was well known that Neville was one of the clumsiest Wizards ever to walk the halls of Hogwarts, so Harry couldn't see why she was so ashamed of her story. As the two divulged into a side story and Luna and Dean continued theirs, Harry realized just how many people were sitting in the compartment.

"We've never been able to fit this many up here before, have we?" Harry asked, remembering when it was hard for them to fit five.

"We're closer to the front. We usually sit closer to the back, where there are smaller compartments. They get bigger as you go up, the prefect's carriage is designed to hold twenty six." Hermione ranted off, and again Harry saw Ron give her a _look_. An elbow in the rib told him that Ginny had seen it also, and Harry grinned at her.

"So what's the plan once we reach King's Cross?" He asked, attempting to break up what was going on in front of him and Ginny. He heard a muffled snort from next to him, and figured that his plan was probably as transparent as his glasses. However, it did seem to work in distracting Ron and Hermione.

"Well, we've got to head to the Burrow for the, you know." Ron said, gulping. Hermione's face went stiff, and Harry saw her squeeze Ron's hand a bit. Before this little side-play could continue, however, Ginny interrupted.

"Well he knows that! He means how the hell are we going to get there since Mum and Dad are at the Burrow and won't be coming to King's Cross." She said, crossing her arms.

"Well, I thought it was obvious, we're apparating. I'm taking Ron so he doesn't splinch himself again. Harry, since she hasn't passed her test either and you can do a pretty good job of apparating, you're taking Ginny. The protective spells have been lifted off the Burrow, but still head for the fields in case they've been replaced." She said quickly.

"Why don't we just apparate off the train, then?" Ron asked. Hermione sighed, giving him the old exasperated look. This made Harry grin, some things never changed.

"_Hogwarts, a History_, Ron! I swear I'm going to get you to read it one of these days. The train has the same protective enchantments as the castle."

"Aw, you wouldn't like me as much if I changed and started reading; that's your thing." He said, putting an arm around her and pulling her sideways, Hermione blushing.

"I vote we jump." Ginny whispered in Harry's ear, and he couldn't help laughing.

"Why should we leave our comfort just for them? I vote we throw them." He whispered back, and to his delight she was overcome by giggles. As she shook, some of her hair fanned out across his shoulder. Harry noticed that it was slightly darker than Ron's, yet still unmistakably Weasley red.

"But in this state they won't have the brains to even cushion their fall, even Hermione! They'll just plummet!" She said, her brown eyes sparkling in the light of the carriage.

"What a shame, but I don't think we should jump." Harry said, a note of mock seriousness in his tone.

"Oh, why not? She asked, batting her eyelashes in false innocence."

"Because of the press stories! 'Potter jumps from train in apparent suicide attempt'… it won't look too good on my track record!" He joked, and watched her laugh again.

The rest of the train ride passed in such fashion, with Harry and Ginny laughing and joking while Ron and Hermione were in their own little world. When the train arrived, the four removed themselves to the muggle parking lot. Making sure that there were no muggles around, they apparated in pairs to the field outside the Burrow. Harry and Ginny arrived twenty feet in front of Ron and Hermione, and together the four of them walked up to the Burrow, home at last.


	3. In Memorium

**Author's Note: Sorry for the time it took to update, everyone! This is a really long one, but it gets through most of the recovery process. I promise things are going to start lightening up in the next chapter! Thanks for the reviews, keep it up! I want to know what you think! Ciao, Hannah Renee**

Once inside the Burrow, however, Harry noticed a much more somber tone to things. Most everything in the house was now black or had something black attached to it. Harry's eyes were attracted to movement and he saw Mrs. Weasley's clock. It had seemingly grown another hand since last summer, possibly the same day that Harry had last left the Burrow. Of course, this hand read "Fleur", and was sitting on "Home" instead of the newly grown space, "Shell Cottage". The movement, Harry observed, was that of Ginny and Ron's hands moving from "Traveling" to "Home". For the first time in several visits to the Weasleys, no hands sat on "Mortal Peril". Fred's hand, however, seemed to have popped off the clock: it was sitting on the table below the clock, a thin black ribbon tied around it.

"Oh thank goodness you're here. Hello, Hermione, sweetheart; Harry, dear. Come in, come in you four. Everyone's gathered in the sitting room, but you all probably would like some sleep." She said, thinking. As she spoke, Harry noticed for the first time just how tired he really was. The two hours he had slept really weren't helping things, he yawned so loudly that Ron gave him a quizzical look, although the yawn quickly spread to his, Hermione's, and Ginny's faces as well. This action seemed to affirm Mrs. Weasley's suggestion.

"Yes, bed! Harry, Ron's room; Hermione, Ginny's." She said, pushing them off towards the stairs. On the way, the four passed the sitting room. Harry looked inside, and immediately wished he hadn't. They were all so sad, as they should be, but something fell in the pit of his stomach, and he stopped walking. _He_ had caused this. If he had just run into Snape earlier, if he had just… anything! It was like a pit had replaced his heart, he couldn't move. He wanted to _die_, he felt so awful.

While Harry stood there Mrs. Weasley went back to the kitchen, Ron and Hermione started up the stairs, and the mourning in the sitting room continued. Harry felt alone, which he thought was the correct state to be in, as he felt condemned. Filthy. It wasn't until he felt pressure on his shoulder that he came out of his reverie. Placing his opposite hand on the place, he felt a small, familiar hand laying there. Turning towards her, he started to speak,

"Ginny, I…" He started, but stopped when he saw a strange glint in her eye. It was almost malicious, and he felt even guiltier at causing the family that had practically adopted him so much pain. Yet when Ginny spoke, she surprised him.

"Oh hell no, Harry. This isn't your fault. You saved every one of our fucking lives last night. Everyone in the whole damn Wizarding World, you hear me? Don't go on a guilt trip, you don't deserve it."

"Except Fred, Remus, Tonks, and fifty others…" He muttered darkly. To Harry's even further surprise, Ginny raised her hand, and in one swift movement, slapped him quickly across the face.

"Don't you dare blame yourself about them Harry James Potter! This wasn't your fault. Voldemort would have killed us all, think of all the lives you saved! Or do you regret that, too?" She asked, and Harry saw that she was close to tears.

"No…Ginny…don't…" he started, but tears were leaking down the face that was red from rage.

"You know, Harry, I don't think I can stand being here with someone who's thickheaded enough to believe that he caused all of this. Have a nice sleep." She said, turning on her heel and rushing up the stairs. After a few seconds he heard a door slam overhead.

If anything, Harry felt sicker than ever. His grief and guilt were now nearly doubled, and it was with a pounding headache that he started up the stairs. He paused briefly to stare at the door on the first floor landing before going up to Ron's room. It was stupid, he thought as he ascended the stairs, to have upset Ginny further. She had lost her brother in the past twenty-four hours, along with Tonks, with whom Ginny had greatly admired.

When Harry opened the door on the top floor he expected to see Ron in his bed already, but was again surprised at what he saw. Ron was sitting on his bed, alright, but just behind him was Hermione, her arms across Ron's chest, her chin sitting on his left shoulder. Both appeared to be crying. Upon hearing the door open, they had both looked up.

"I'll go." Hermione said gently, placing a kiss on Ron's cheek before pulling her right leg back from around Ron. As she stood up, Ron caught her by one of her arms and pulled her into a quick hug before throwing himself back down onto the bed across where Hermione had been sitting. On Hermione's way out she stopped to give Harry a quick hug. Pulling back, she saw the look on Harry's face.

"You and Ginny had a fight." She said softly. Harry only nodded, his head pounding with his headache.

"Get some sleep, Harry. I'm sure that everything'll clear itself up this evening." She said reassuringly.

"Yeah…I hope… have a good sleep." He said, and watched her leave the room. When the door shut, Ron sat up a little.

"What did you two fight over? He asked, and Harry could tell that it was a sign of their friendship and Ron's assumed big brother responsibilities that Ron was forgoing a few moments of his slumber to ask.

"She reckons I shouldn't feel it's my fault that she's now missing a brother, sister figure, and former teacher." He said, pulling down the sheets of his camper bed and plopping down bodily.

Ron gave him a look of sympathy before stating "Yeah, well, she's right mate. Now go to behd-ed" He said, his last word coming through a yawn. Harry removed his glasses and lay down, and within seconds he was lost in a dreamless sleep.

"Harry?" A gentle voice sounded somewhere above him. It seemed like a few seconds later, but as he opened his eyes and saw less light pouring in from the east-facing window he noticed that it was early evening at the earliest. He reached for his glasses, but a hand (probably belonging to the owner of the voice, he thought to himself) placed them in his hand.

As he put them on and sat up, he realized that it was Ginny standing beside his bed. Her dark red hair was pulled loosely back with an elastic, and she had changed into a Holyhead Harpies shirt and jeans.

"Harry, mum said to come get you, we're about to eat." She said, looking a bit timid. Harry was confused until his memories from earlier in the day came back to him. He grimaced, thinking of how he had hurt her.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have upset you." He said, looking down ashamedly. He couldn't bring it on himself to look her in the eye. A sinking feeling near his feet told him that Ginny had sat on the camper bed.

"No, Harry, I overreacted. This has to be even harder for you, I was being selfish." She said, causing him to look up. She scooted up a bit on the bed and took his hands in hers. Harry gave her a quick squeeze, a thankful smile crossing his lips. "We've got to get through this, Harry. Together. No more fighting, deal?" She said, staring straight into his eyes.

"Absolutely." He said, not dropping the gaze.

"Well then, I've got to get downstairs and help finish dinner, you change. Ron and Hermione are already downstairs." She said, a little briskly. Harry watched her leave the room before setting about to changing.

Once down in the kitchen, Harry found the attitude to be slightly less somber than he expected, but solemn nonetheless. Mr. Weasley sat at the head of the table, looking grief-stricken and barely picking at his potato soup. Bill and Fleur sat to Mr. Weasley's right, Bill eating a steak Mrs. Weasley had made for him and Fleur was making a gallant attempt at eating the potato soup, which all could see was not to her palate. Across from Bill and Fleur were Charlie and Percy, both absorbed in eating the soup quickly and quietly. Ron sat next to Percy, Hermione at his left. Across from Ron was Ginny, who motioned for Harry to sit next to her.

"Here you are, Harry. Careful, it's hot." Mrs. Weasley said, ladling him a steaming bowl of soup. She then sat down at the end of the table opposite to Mr. Weasley, staring at her own bowl through puffy red eyes.

Dinner was a quiet affair; the only sounds were the clanking of spoons on bowls and an occasional sigh. Looking around, a thought came to Harry that he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of earlier. He supposed it was the fact that he had never been at the Weasley's table with one twin and not the other that he had completely missed his presence.

"Where's George?" He asked Ginny, leaning close to her ear. He didn't want to upset the whole family, but he was confused. The rest of the Weasleys and Hermione didn't even look up from their food; Harry supposed they were engrossed in their own thoughts. Ginny, however, turned and met his eyes, hers were dry and looked as though she hadn't cried since the morning.

"His room. I took him some soup on my way up to get you, he didn't want to come out." She whispered back, reaching out her right hand and squeezing his left. Harry let a phantom of a smile graze his lips before he returned to his soup.

When everyone had finished eating, Mr. Weasley stood up at his end of the table, finally taking his eyes off his food to look around at his family, Harry, and Hermione. He sighed, looking suddenly fascinated with the pepper shaker for a few moments before he returned to gazing at everyone sitting around the table.

"Tomorrow night we're going to bury Fred at sunset. Then the next day we're going to Andromeda Tonks's house at four in the afternoon for tea and then Remus and Dora's funeral. Harry, you can settle affairs about Teddy while over there. We've also been invited to a memorial service and dedication that evening just after dark at Hogwarts." He said solemnly. Suddenly, a thought hit Harry with the speed of a flying curse: Teddy. He was Teddy's godfather, he had promised Remus to take care of Teddy if something happened. But Harry was only seventeen, and planning on returning to Hogwarts next year. He felt Ginny's hand on his shoulder and touched it lightly.

"I'm off to bed, then. Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Percy, you all can stay here tonight. Percy, your room is undisturbed, but could you share with Charlie? Bill, you and Fleur can stay in your room." Molly said quietly, standing up as well and attempting her usual bossy attitude towards her family, but failing miserably.

"No, Mum, Fleur and I'll go home for the night. Thank you though." Bill said, walking over to his mother and kissing her lightly on the cheek, then went over and embraced his father. Fleur hugged both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before taking her cloak from the hook on the wall and following Bill out the door. Mrs. Weasley followed them to the door, pulled back the curtain on the door window, and watched them until they disapparated in the fields. She then turned to her clock. Two of the hands had moved to traveling, and in the next instant they read "Shell Cottage".

"Alright, you lot slept through most the day, but don't stay up too late." She said, and with that walked up the stairs. Percy and Charlie soon followed, Arthur after them. This left Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione alone in the room. Ron and Hermione appeared to be holding hands again under the table, and Harry's hand was still sitting lightly upon Ginny's, which was perched on his shoulder.

"I'm sure Andromeda will continue caring for Teddy, Harry." Said Ginny bracingly, causing Harry to turn towards her.

"Undoubtedly, seeing as you're gong back to school! She couldn't keep you from your education." Hermione reasoned, and Harry saw Ron's lip curl into a slight smile.

"No mate, she'll probably keep him. She won't want her grandson in the hands of a teenager." Ron said, pulling Hermione's chair closer to his, Hermione squealing slightly. He then draped the hand that had been holding hers over her shoulder and leaned back in his own chair.

"I s'pose you're right. Especially since I didn't make the greatest of first impressions." He said, folding his hands on the table. Ginny gave him a soft pat then removed her hand from his shoulder. She then crossed her arms on the table and rested her head on top of them.

"What did you do?" Asked Hermione, slightly accusatory.

"Nothing like that!" Harry hurried to assure her. "She came into the room right after the attack from Voldemort, and she looks a lot like Bellatrix. I kind of yelled at her. Don't look at me like that…I was a little addled, I had just found out that Hagrid was still alive after jumping off of Sirius's bike!" He said, exasperated in the end. Ginny and Ron were grinning.

"Way to thank people for their hospitality, Harry." Ron said, fighting the urge to laugh. Beside him, Ginny was shaking with suppressed laughter. The four stayed up until around two talking and laughing, all mourning pressed to the very back of their minds.

An attitude of deepest grief settled on the house overnight. When Harry and Ron woke up and descended to the kitchen the next day, they were barely acknowledged. Ginny, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were busy cooking lunch, and Harry could see Arthur through the window. He was out in a field near the orchard where Harry had played Quidditch what seemed like a lifetime ago with Bill, surveying the ground. Harry's heart gave a lurch as he saw them start siphoning dirt out of the ground with their wands. Turning away quickly, he walked with Ron into the sitting room. Percy and Charlie were grouped around the wireless, although their blank expressions made him doubt that they were taking in a note of the live Weird Sisters Broadcast. It wasn't until Harry and Ron took their seats next to the pair that they noticed a third gloomy figure over in the far corner. Harry's heart fell as he saw the shape George Weasley was in. His hair was messy, his eyes with bags under them, and he was still wearing his pajamas. George looked almost like a corpse to Harry, and he had the feeling that George was downstairs solely because his family had asked it of him.

And so the day went by, with barely a word spoken, not even when Mrs. Weasley and the girls brought in a tray of food and everyone ate. George made gestures that he was unwilling to eat, but Mrs. Weasley insisted. For a while the afternoon went as the morning had, with everyone sitting around in silence, until they heard the two o'clock bells from the village church over the hills. Mr. Weasley hurried over to the wireless, changed the frequency, tapped it with his wand, and muttered "Phoenix".

Harry knew it had worked the second Mr. Weasley uttered the password. The static cleared up, and Harry heard a familiar voice issuing around the room.

"Welcome to our pre-scheduled broadcast of _Potterwatch_. I am pleased to say that last night, long after announcing the time and password of the next broadcast; we were called to help take a stand to protect Hogwarts. As many already know, Harry Potter had arrived with his cohorts Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The three were searching Hogwarts for an undisclosed object when it became obvious that the Head Death Eater was on his way. Hogwarts took a stand, and after a tumultuous battle to be later discoursed, Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort in the Great Hall of the castle.

"Unfortunately, there were many losses in the battle, including two of our regular correspondents: Remus Lupin, who broadcasted under the codename "Romulus"; and Fred Weasley, "Rapier". There will be a full service at Hogwarts School tomorrow at nine in the evening. In the service will be a reading of all names belonging to those lost in the battle of Hogwarts, as well as the dedication of a memorial to all who died there. I, Lee Jordan, who has previously operated under the name of "River", urge all _Potterwatch_ listeners to attend."

The broadcast continued for over an hour, Lee giving a blow-by-blow of the battle with all the skill earned of his Quidditch-announcing years. It was, of course, missing things such as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy's encounter in the Room of Requirement and the trip to the Shrieking Shack. Harry saw Ginny watching him through most of the transmition, and Harry knew what she wanted. She knew that Lee was not telling them what he, Ron, and Hermione had been doing during the battle.

After the program, Harry nodded to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in turn and started out the room into the kitchen. As the three filed in behind him, he only asked where they could go without being overheard by the rest of the family. Ron looked puzzled, but Ginny immediately supplied an answer.

"The chicken coop. There's nothing there but the parts of Sirius' bike. The chickens all got out when the house was investigated. Guess the dunderheads didn't bother to worry about a family's chickens. Mom was right livid when she found they were gone this morning, Perce said." The four looked to see that no one was watching from the sitting room and headed out to the chicken pen. Once there, Harry sat down on the seat of the bike, Ginny on the detached handlebars and wheel, Ron on the also-detached back wheel, and Hermione on Mr. Weasley's worktable. The table was littered with burned small bits from various places on the bike, obviously in the process of being repared.

"We have to tell Ginny. She needs to know, too." Harry said bluntly. Hermione, who seemed to have expected this, merely nodded. Ron, however, seemed incredulous.

"Tell her what? You can't mean... Dumbledore said not to…" He started, but Harry shook his head.

"Dumbledore didn't want too many to know while Voldemort was still at large. But he's dead. We saw to that. Now we can tell whoever we please, and Ginny should know." He finished, somewhat lamely. He didn't expect Ron to understand why Harry had decided he absolutely needed to tell Ginny. He didn't expect that at all, even less than he expected what Ron said next.

"Well… if you think so. We'll tell her." And with that, the three started filling Ginny in on the details of what happened in the graveyard, the drama of Harry's fifth year, the horcrux searches of his sixth, and everything that had happened the past year. Ginny was an ideal audience, she sat through the whole hour-and-a-half explanation without question. When they had finished, it was with a broken voice that she asked her first question.

"So that night…that Dumbledore died…and you left…he was taking you in search of a Horcrux? You were in real danger that night?" She asked, her hands over her mouth.

"As were you lot, remember? Death Eaters invading?" He said, trying to draw attention away from Ginny's truth. It didn't work.

"Harry… we were dealing with Death Eaters in a building full of people to help us. You were hundreds of miles away in a lonely cave, and who knows what traps Voldemort could have put to use in that cave?" She said. Harry stood up and walked to her, clutching her hands in his.

"I know." He whispered, and looked into her maple colored eyes. True, they were wetter than usual, but to Harry's relief she wasn't crying. She spread out her arms and clasped Harry to her, not letting go.

The four spent another hour in the chicken coop discussing everything from the significance of the Elder Wand to the exact contents of Harry's dreams. Finally, Ron looked down at his watch.

"Oi, we've got to get inside and make ourselves decent. The funeral's in less than an hour." He said, and the four headed inside and changed into their dress robes. Hermione placed a temporary color-change charm on everything to make it black, and the four headed down to the field near the orchard.

The funeral was a quiet one, Harry noticed that much of the Weasley's extended family was missing. The Order and most of the D.A. attended, apparating just before sundown. The service was simple, Mr. Weasley gave a brief account of Fred's life and then asked the attendees to speak if they felt the need to do so. Mrs. Weasley spoke first, tears cascading down her face.

"Freddie… how can I apologize for all the times I scolded you, told you that you'd amount to nothing, tried to shoot down your dreams and replace them with my own? I wanted you to be something I thought worthy. I wanted you to be head of a department in the Ministry of Magic. I overlooked the greatest of your gifts: to bring joy to people. I didn't want you and George to open your jokeshop, and I'll never forgive myself for that. Please forgive me, Freddie…" Here she dissolved into further sobs. Mr. Weasley patted her on the back, a stony look on his face.

Bill was next to speak, but he barely said anything after Mrs. Weasley's speech.

"I'll miss you, Fred. Keep an eye on us, alright?" Bill then turned to Fleur, but Fleur shook her head, a few tears flying off her face in the effort. She turned to Charlie, who nodded.

"Bye, Fred." He said quietly, and looked at Percy. Percy was stock still, staring at the casket where Fred's body lay. Finally, Percy spoke.

"I'm a rotten prat. When I went away, you all were in your seventh year at Hogwarts. I abandoned you and the rest of my family to follow my ambitions. Then I didn't come back out of shame. In the effect, I missed my little brothers and sister growing up. Ginny was a fourth year, Ron a fifth, and I missed then until now. And I'm paying the price: I didn't get to know what you're like now, Fred. And when I did come back, you forgave me almost immediately. I won't forget that, ever. You were amazing, Fred. Don't think that I thought otherwise." He said, and Harry saw tears shining under his horned rimmed glasses.

Next in the circle that the attendees made was George. George wasn't as somber as before, in fact he had a shadow of a grin on his face as he said,

"Hey Fred, how's the weather? You should write…that'd be pretty cool. Listen, I'm keeping up the jokeshop. I'll be back in touch, don't worry." After this George looked at the ground, obviously not planning on speaking any more at the moment. Ron gulped, it was his turn.

"Fred… if I found out who killed you, they better already be dead." Was all he said, and Hermione gave Ron a squeeze on the arm.

"Fred, no matter what I ever said, I've always admired how good you were at magic. You can do things that I don't think I'll ever be able to do. You had a lot of skill, and I feel awful that I didn't tell you so."

Next it was Ginny who drew a deep breath before starting in.

"Fred, you would probably kill me if you saw me bloody crying at your funeral. But I am. I'm gonna miss you, and I wish you were still here. I always dreamed of having all six of my brothers at my wedding someday. You're cutting it down to five, how dare you. I love you, Fred. Don't forget it." Ginny whipped a tear from her eye, and turned to Harry. It was hard, a lump was stuck in Harry's throat.

"Fred, if I could have prevented this, I would have. I'm so sorry." He said, hanging his head. From here, there weren't as many people who had anything to say. Hagrid piped up, as did Professor McGonnagal. After a few others had spoken, the wheel turned back to Mr. Weasley. Wordlessly, he raised his wand and lowered the casket into the ground. Dirt swooped out of no where as Bill waved his wand as well, covering the grave. Next came the swoops of Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie as a white marble memorial formed over the grave. A pinnacle stood eight feet tall when they had finished, and Mrs. Weasley thanked everyone for attending.

The group started to head away, Harry heading with the Weasleys and Hermione up to the Burrow when a hand caught at his shoulder. Turning, Harry saw Hannah Abbott standing there.

"Harry, Ernie's funeral is the day after tomorrow at the Hollow. Four in the afternoon. Could you all please attend? He'd like that." She said, her blue eyes peering up at him. Harry nodded without thinking twice.

"Of course, Hannah. We'll be there, don't worry." He said, giving her a reassuring smile. In a few seconds time he found himself hugging Hannah, patting her on the back gently.

"Thanks, Harry. It means a lot." She said, and headed away. Harry watched her until she apparated, and then turned around to find Ginny standing there.

"That was sweet of you, Harry. I guess we'll be attending a lot of those." She said, her voice falling on the last bit.

"Yeah, probably." He responded, putting an arm around her as they headed back to the house.

The next afternoon, Harry found himself, the Weasleys, and Hermione at the house of Andromeda Tonks. After they rang the bell, Harry saw the haughty face appear at the door.

"Come in. We'll be in the parlor, Teddy's already in there." She said, ushering them inside. Once in the parlor, Harry looked around for some sign of the small, squishy baby he had seen Remus's pictures. However, he couldn't see him. Then, out from behind a chair, something was wobbling towards the group. It had a tuft of orange hair on its head, but just as it got near them it fell flat on its face, wailing. This child was much larger than the baby in the pictures, but the second the baby hit the floor his hair turned to red as it screamed.

"Aww, Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, did you fall down?" Mrs. Weasley cooed as she walked over and scooped up the child. As she walked back over to the group, Harry got his first good look at his Godson. Of course, the baby's metamorphamagus tendencies caused it to seem silly, but Harry could see a bit of Remus around the baby's forehead and chin. The rest was distinctly coming from Tonks's side of the family.

"As you can see, this is my grandson, Ted Remus Lupin, your godson." She said, taking the baby from Mrs. Weasley and passing him to Harry. Not expecting this so soon, Harry nearly dropped him. Ginny came to the rescue, giving Teddy a bit of support from behind. She was fussing in a very Mrs. Weasley way, but when Harry caught her eye, she smiled.

"Hey, little fella! Your daddy was a good friend of me and my daddy. Your mum and dad are big heroes. I guess we're a lot alike, you and me." He said, watching as the baby looked up at him. His eyes turned from brown to blue, and Harry saw the baby smile.

"Look at you, Teddy! You're such a big boy! I guess you're about a year old now, aren't you?" Ginny said, running a hand through the wispy baby hair.

"Hey mate, look at you! When you get older, all the girls'll be all over you, you can change yourself to make sure they like how you look! Bloody h-" Yet Ron was interrupted when Hermione piped in.

"Ronald! Don't let him hear that word! Hello there, Teddy!" She said, coming up to coo over the baby as well. Harry liked holding the baby, especially since the baby smelled nice, but he _was_ heavy. Not a seeker for nothing, Harry hoisted the baby up a little bit.

"Go ahead and put him down, the tea's ready," Andromeda said, she had been watching Harry handle Teddy.

After Teddy had been placed safely back down on the ground and the assembly settled at the table with tea in their cups, Andromeda spoke again.

"Are you planning on returning to Hogwarts, Harry?" She asked, daintily stirring sugar into her tea.

Harry had expected this question, but didn't know how his answer would be received. Would she tell him that it was his job to drop out of school and support Teddy? Would she say that he needed to find a way to support the toddler? "Yes." He said, staring down into the murky depths of his tea.

"A fine choice. And after Hogwarts?" She said before slowly sipping at her tea, her pinky finger held slightly aloft. Harry reflected that he had always thought this gesture cheesy, but when Andromeda did this it seemed elegant, correct.

"I've planned to go into auror training." He said. Again, he didn't know how this would be perceived. He would have three more years of training before he could support Teddy. Not to mention that Tonks had been an auror…

"An excellent career choice. Yes, Harry, I do want you to continue your school and continue towards your planned career. I am well settled off financially, and as I don't work I can stay home and raise little Ted. I do, however, want you to play a part in his life. While you are in school you won't have to worry about this, but other than that I would like you to have him over for dinner at least once a week. Of course, if that's alright with you, Molly? I'm supposing that you are who Harry will be staying with."

"Yes, he will, and of course Teddy can come over once a week!" Molly said, smiling broadly. Harry had a feeling that Molly had missed having babies around since all of her children were grown.

"It's settled then. Now, tell me Arthur, what are Kingsley's plans for restoring the Ministry?" Andromeda asked, and the conversation continued from there. Harry felt as if a burden had been lifted from him, the burden of not knowing what his future held for him. He now knew that he could care for Teddy and continue onwards towards his goal of being an auror. It was a great relief, and Harry had almost forgotten that he was about to attend another funeral by the time tea was over.

Standing outside in the garden, however, Harry full well remembered why he was at Andromeda Tonks's house. The two closed coffins of Nymphadora and Remus stood out in the sunlight, though there was no grave in sight. Again, this funeral followed the path of Fred's. Andromeda spoke a few words about each of them, but Harry was distracted from the tales. Teddy, who was sitting in the grass, was staring at the coffins of his parents. Harry couldn't help but feel that at least Teddy had a family member to love him, that he wouldn't go seventeen years without seeing his parents.

Harry was awoken from his reverie by the sound of Mrs. Weasley speaking. She was talking about how glad she was that Dora and Remus had some time together. There were many goodbyes, and then came Ginny. Ginny was close to tears as she thanked Dora for helping her through her teenage years, a female presence to a girl who had only brothers. Next was Harry.

"Hey Remus, hey Tonks. Remus, have fun with dad and Sirius, okay? And Tonks, be prepared. I'll look out for Teddy, don't worry. And I'll try to be a bit less reckless of a Godfather than Sirius was. Goodbye, you two." He said, smiling. He had already said most of what he needed to say to Remus. A warm feeling settled over his chest at saying goodbye.

After the funeral, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione headed to Hogsmeade. Somehow, they managed to find an empty table among the masses at the Three Broomsticks, and sat down. Mr. Weasley ordered two large bottles of firewhisky for them to share, and then the group descended into silence.

"Who's proceeding over the ceremony tonight?" Harry asked, breaking the silence. Mrs. Weasley looked up from fumbling with her handbag, obviously trying to speak lightly of the events.

"Minerva's doing most of the ceremony, and Professor Flitwick is helping out. There's going to be a repair of Dumbledore's grave, and then a new memorial dedicated. Kingsley's going to speak at this point, also." She said, and looked happy at the distraction of the firewhisky arriving.

"So we're going to Ernie's funeral tomorrow?" Hermione asked, pulling out her dayplanner. Harry was shocked at its reappearance; he hadn't seen it since before they set out on the mission.

"Yeah. Four in the afternoon. Chuck that thing in the fire, will you?" He said, and most of the table burst into laughter. Hermione quickly scribbled down the time before placing the planner back in her bag hastily, obviously trying to keep her dignity in the conversation.

Their laughter had attracted quite a bit of interest from the patrons of the pub, and they received many disapproving glances. Most, however, seemed confused. This was the group with the most to be sad about, wasn't it? Yet they were laughing merrily, apparently at the expense of the bushy brunette girl sitting at the far edge of the table.

Harry barely noticed any of this, and decided instead to continue enjoying himself. Taking the cork from the firewhisky bottle, he flicked it at the side of Ginny's head. It took her by surprise, and she made a motion of surprise before pulling out her wand, giving it a flick, and sending the stopper into a dead hit with Harry's head.

"No fair, no magic!" Ron said, taking the cork and flinging it at Hermione. The rest of the table watched in amusement as a game of girls versus boys cork-hockey ensued. All too soon, however, the pub began to empty, and Harry checked the watch Mrs. Weasley had given him for his seventeenth birthday. It was only thirty minutes until the ceremony, they needed to hurry up and get to their seats.

"Time to go." He said resignedly, picking up the firewhisky cork and tossing it in a wastebasket near the table. The others around the table stood up and filed between the tables of the pub, making their way out the door into the warm spring air. It was a lovely May evening, and Harry inhaled deeply.

Once at the gates of the grounds, Harry could see the masses sitting near the castle, and even more standing about. Making their way forward, Harry wondered whether or not they would even be able to see the ceremony from the distance that was seating at the moment.

Yet even as Harry led the group towards the first available row of chairs, Harry saw Hagrid coming towards them.

"Harry! Hermione! Ron! Ginny! All o' yeh! The Order an' fighters have seatin' in the fron'!" He said once in reach of them.

"Alright, Hagrid, lead the way." Mr. Weasley said, and everyone went up towards the front. Percy, however, started to hang back.

"Maybe I shouldn't sit with the Order…" He started, but Hagrid grabbed him by the back of his collar and pulled him foreword.

"Percy, yeh fought with us, nobody's gonna hold anythin' from before against yeh." He said, pushing Percy towards a seat in the second row. "Oh, 'n Harry, yeh get a special seat." He said, a smile twitching at his beard. Harry looked and saw a row of seats just behind the podium that had been set up.

"Hagrid, you can't mean…" he started, but already knew the answer.

"O' course I do! Yeh four sit there, an' when Neville an' Luna get here, they'll be with yeh too. We're honoring the Hogwarts resis'ance." He said, and Harry noticed quickly that there were name plaques on the seats. Harry's, as he had been afraid of, was in equal center to Neville. Harry and the others took their seats, and sat in silence until the ceremony started.

The ceremony was an increasingly somber occasion. Candles were lit and floated among the audience, casting a mournful glow on the attendees. Dumbledore's tomb was mended by professor McGonnagal with a wave of her wand. After the repairs of Dumbledore's grave, Professor McGonnagal called Lee Jordan up to the podium, where he gave a long description of the battle of Hogwarts. Harry noticed that it differed slightly from his description earlier that day on _Potterwatch_, but covered the same events and ideas. Then Lee went into a description of the early days of the war, and asked every member of the D.A. in the audience to please stand. The six sitting behind the podium stood, as well as several others in the audience. At this point Lee acknowledged the memories of Colin and Ernie as well.

To Harry's surprise, the audience broke into applause. The Order applauded as well, all for the D.A. Next to him, Ginny was glowing. Two seats down, Hermione had been reduced to tears at the thought that her brainchild had led to such success. On the opposite end, Ron was smiling on her left as well. Luna was barely acknowledging the cheers; instead she was looking into the sky. Directly to his right, Neville was positively beaming at the crowd.

This acknowledgement, however, was sad for Harry. He had lost two of his fighters, and it felt as though even more were lost. He also felt as though it was fake that he was up here sitting as a member of the Hogwarts resistance when he had been missing the for almost a year, away from the beloved castle.

From here, McGonnagal gave the podium over to Professor Flitwick. Flitwick informed the viewers of the plans to restore Hogwarts. This made Harry feel even worse, because he felt partially responsible for the damage done to the great fortress.

Finally, McGonnagal took the podium for herself. Slowly and surely she read the names of all the known deaths in the war, from Cedric Diggory to Firenze, who had died in the morning of his wound from the battle. When she was done, she and Professor Flitwick waved their wands in unison. Just in front of the podium rose the most beautiful monument Harry thought he had ever seen. A golden phoenix perched above a glowing purple glass orb. Looking closer, Harry saw the names of people scratched into the five-foot tall globe.

Finally, after the erection of the monument, the ceremony was over. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione met up with the others and walked back to Hogsmeade, from where they apparated back to the Burrow for the night.

Over the next week, Harry attended several funerals. Ernie's, Colin's, Firenze's, and several others of people he had barely met before. Yet by the end of May, the steady tide of funeral services had tapered off. Harry started feeling that he could start enjoying himself, and stopped feeling so guilty every time he looked outside the window of the Burrow and saw Fred's grave. He was spending most of his time with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. The four stuck together mainly, and Harry had little time to be alone with Ginny. This didn't bother him, though. He had time enough to deal with that, and he didn't think that she was completely recovered yet. Harry repeatedly caught her staring out the window towards Fred's grave, a blank look on her face. Harry would just give her a smile and a squeeze on the arm, however. She still needed her time to cope.


	4. A Quick Game of Temmis

**Author's Note: Okay, this one took longer than it should have. Plus, it's really short. But, back to school takes its toll on my creativity –sigh-. The next chapter is where the REAL fun starts, though. So please enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

As June started in, however, Harry started to see a change in Ginny. Her face no longer became practically transparent whenever Fred was mentioned in passing conversation, in fact she joined in the laughter at a retelling of an encounter between Fred and Umbridge in his final days at Hogwarts. Harry waited for the day Ginny's eyes fell on the monument outside the Burrow without change in facial expression before even deciding to make a move. Even then, Harry waited a few days before saying anything to her. Halfway through the second week of June, however, Harry decided it was time to say something to her.

That Wednesday gave Harry the perfect opportunity. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were attending a dinner in memory of Mrs. Weasley's brothers, Gideon and Fabian Prewett. George had returned to the shop, and was back to living in the flat above floors with Lee. Percy too had returned to his own flat and his work, although he stopped in at least every other day, attempting to catch up with his family. Ron and Hermione were outside, Ron attempting to teach Hermione how to properly shoot a Quaffle. This left Harry and Ginny alone inside the house.

Ginny was in her room, having told the three after dinner that she would be in her room reading if anyone needed her. Harry had declined Ron's offer to go out and help Hermione with Quidditch, he thought the pair needed some alone time for themselves as well. Plopping down on a sofa in the sitting room, Harry summoned some paper and a quill from the desk. Quickly, he scribbled down a note to Ginny.

_Ginny,_

_Will you please come down to the sitting room? I need to talk to you._

_If you don't want to, that's okay. I'd just appreciate it._

_Harry._

Harry reread his writing and declared it decent, so he folded it up into a clumsy paper airplane and put a spell on it that Hermione had taught him. As he watched, the airplane zoomed up the stairs and out of sight. He sat there for a few seconds in silence, and then heard a movement upstairs. Springing up, he stood as Ginny descended the stairs, turned into the sitting room, and grinned at him. All signs of laughter shone on her face, and she held a battered book in her hands.

"So, Quidditch hero Potter couldn't bother himself to walk up a flight of stairs? I didn't think he was so lazy…" She said, walking towards him, a glint in her eye and laughter on her mouth. Harry mocked being wounded by her words, buckling at the knees and placing a hand over his heart.

"Your words, they stab!" He said, fake stumbling. This was well received with a few giggles, and Harry kept it up. He stumbled his way over to the sofa before dramatically plunging to the pillowy depths. Ginny was giggling madly, and Harry felt another urge to continue in his silliness. He twitched violently, flipping over in his antics. Ginny shrieked with laughter, and in a violent jerk he pulled her down with him, eliciting even more shrieks of laughter as he tickled her and hugged her close to him. She thrashed about in his arms, managing to eject "Harry, stop!" between laughs.

"Take it back!" He said close to her ear, her whole face was contorted into laughter.

"Take-what-back?" She managed, thrashing still harder.

"Say I'm not lazy." He muttered quietly. He knew this had to end soon, her moving around atop him was having a bad effect on his brain, while a nice effect somewhere else…

"You-are-n't-lazy! Okay?" She cried, and when Harry let go of her she toppled off the sofa and onto the floor. Her hair, which had been tied up loosely with an elastic, was now disheveled and everywhere. He sat and took deep breaths, attempting to put himself under control as she stood up and sat next to him on the sofa. Pulling out the elastic, she shook her head around and ran her fingers through the red hair spilling about before tying it loosely at the nape of her neck.

"What did you want to talk about, Harry?" She said, lifting her legs up onto the sofa next to her. Now convinced that he was thoroughly under control, Harry faced her. It was much harder with her sitting there next to him, exhilarated from their romp about the sofa. He could defeat Voldemort, but admit to Ginny how he felt? Finally, he took a deep breath and let the little two letter word escape his lips, barely aware that he just had.

"Us." He said, taking a deep breath before looking up and meeting the gaze from her deep brown eyes. He saw something in them move, almost soften. Was that a good sign or bad? Was she going to pity him?

"I thought this would come up soon. I should have expected that to be what this is about." She said, brushing a stray lock of crimson behind her ear. Harry had to start in before Ginny said anything more, but he didn't know what to say. Saying how he truly felt might come on too strong, so maybe tone it down a bit for now? Or honesty all the way?

"Ginny… even though we didn't see each other for almost a year…" He started, but was cut short when Ginny locked eyes with him and spoke in the softest of voices possible.

"I love you, Harry." She said in barely more than a whisper, her eyes still locked with his, but a new emotion in them. Harry realized with a pang that Ginny seemed a bit afraid. Thinking back, Ginny rarely made herself vulnerable this way. Saying things first, speaking without guaranteed return of emotion. Looking at her, Harry noticed that this self aware Ginny seemed much smaller, much easier to hurt. A noise came out of Harry's throat which he quickly turned to words, expressing the words he had been attempting to muster for some time.

"I love you too, Ginny! You don't even know for how long…" He said, taking her hands in his and looking into her eyes. "I said the word "care" at Dumbledore's funeral because I thought that…that 'love' would make it too hard to do what I needed to, would make it easier for Voldemort to find out…" He said, finally blinking. He caught a change of expression, Ginny was looking the most relieved he had ever seen her.

A groan caught in Harry's throat, and he opened his arms. Instantly, Ginny was there, her face buried in his shoulder and her arms holding him tightly. He thought of telling her how she was the last thing he thought of before he surrendered himself to Voldemort, but decided against it. That was pushing things way too far, he was already lucky that she felt the same way he did. Maybe he would tell her someday, but today was not that day.

"Hey…" He said, slipping a finger under her chin and bringing her face up from his shoulder. "This is a happy thing!" He said with a small smile.

Ginny grinned a small grin, her coffee eyes blazing at him. She turned so that her face was inches from his, and leaned in until he could feel the breath from her nose feathering at his lips, sending tickling sensations through his body. "I know." She said in less than a whisper, but Harry was hanging on every syllable. Hesitating no longer, she brushed her lips to his in the softest of kisses, pulling at his lip before drawing away. He whimpered slightly, his arms around her pulling slightly at her to make her return. Grinning slightly, Ginny obliged. This time, however, she didn't back off. Instead, she moved her lips around his, kissing the bottom of his lip, the corner, and the slightest indention of his top lip. When Ginny returned to kissing the center, Harry opened his mouth ever so slightly, and Ginny followed suit. Gently, lovingly, their tongues danced before they both drew away, Harry kissing her softly on the lips to close the deal.

Harry opened his eyes to see that Ginny was clutching his torso again, her head against his chest. Smiling, Harry stroked her long ginger tresses, flipping them around at the ends. Just as he was searching his mind for something to say, however, he was thoroughly distracted by a loud bang and cheerful voices. Ginny stood up quickly, as did Harry. They walked together from the sitting room to the kitchen, where Ron and Hermione were sitting at the kitchen table laughing profoundly. Harry smirked at Ginny before pulling back two chairs, sitting in one of them and leaving the other for Ginny. Ginny smiled, but gave him a mock-angry look.

"You do that again Potter and I'll hex you, I'm not helpless." She said, taking the seat.

"What can I say, I like to treat you like a queen. And at least I didn't stand and push the chair up after you…" He said, leaning back in his chair smoothly.

"Oh yes, the Harry Potter modern chivalry method, I had forgotten." She said, resting her elbow on the table and her hand against her elbow, looking at him mischievously. Deciding it was best to change the topic before this conversation delved into further flirting, Harry turned to Hermione.

"How'd the flying go?" He asked, smiling.

"Horribly!" She said, beaming at him in a peculiar way. Ron was sent into further laughs. Glancing sideways at Ginny, she shrugged and mouthed "Cheering charms?" To him. Harry held in a chuckle and turned to Ron.

"What's so funny?" He asked, wondering if Ginny's idea could have been true.

"Well mate, Hermione kind of, played worse than my first official practice." He laughed, sticking his wand in the air and summoning four butterbeers. "And this kid from the village, Suzy Spearman, she's a witch, walked by and asked Hermione if she was trying out for the house team." Ron said, now shaking with laughter. Now fully appreciating what was going on, Harry cracked a smile. From his side, Ginny was laughing hard.

"Merlin, 'Mione, you'd think after nearly seven full years in the Wizarding World you would be able to ride a broomstick!" She said between laughs. Hermione looked indignant, but didn't say anything. Ron, however, continued in on the mocking.

"Hermione still couldn't pass flying lessons, thank Merlin ours were canceled after the Malfoy incident or she'd have failed a class and committed suicide…" He said, shaking back and forth with laughter. Harry, who had just taken a swig of butterbeer, choked slightly. Hermione failing a class only because of her lack of flying skills _would_ warrant suicide on her part.

"You three think you're high and mighty because you can ride your little wooden sticks, huh? I bet you wouldn't be able to hold your own for a minute in a sport with your feet firmly on the ground." Hermione said, dangerously quiet. Harry stopped laughing quickly, sensing menace from her voice. Ginny also came to a still, looking hesitantly at Hermione. Ron, however, acted just as Harry feared he would.

"I'm surprised brooms don't just chuck you off the second you sit on them!" He said, banging his butterbeer down on the table. Harry groaned and exchanged looks with Ginny; this wasn't going to be pretty.

"Well then, Ron, how about you play a muggle sport with me? It's called tennis." She said. Harry, who had played tennis in elementary school, shuddered at the idea of Ron playing tennis. "I played it all the time with my parents when I was a girl, I'm sure you wouldn't mind a match with me?" Hermione's voice was innocent, but her face was full of spite.

"Sure you won't fall off?" Ron said, obviously still not getting where Hermione was going.

"There's nothing to fall off, of. So are you coming, Ronald?" She asked, standing up.

"Sure, Mione, if you really want that…" Ron said, now looking slightly confused at Hermione's standing action.

"Oh I want to. Harry, Ginny, why don't you come too? This'll be fun to watch." Harry and Ginny didn't protest: it would probably be dangerous at this point. Instead, they stood up and walked over to Hermione and Ron's side of the table.

"I'll apparate us to my parent's house. I'm still tracking them down in Australia, they took the secluded home idea very seriously apparently. Because I haven't found them, the house is empty of course. There's a tennis lawn near our house, it won't be a long walk. All my old equipment is at the house, and I'll just duplicate the racket." She said matter-of-factly, standing up as well. Finally, Ron seemed to be sensing the danger in Hermione's words. He rose looking paler than usual, joining hands with Hermione and Harry. Harry grabbed Ginny's left hand, her other was firmly in Hermione's. Hermione spun, dragging them all with her into the darkness.

They came out in a long-deserted suburban looking muggle home. There were pictures of Hermione and her parents on the walls, and Harry noticed that Ron was taking special interest in them, a soft look on his face. He cleared his throat with a cough, and Ron spun around, his ears and face slightly red. Hermione had seemingly run off, and when she came back she was holding two tennis rackets. Again, these didn't surprise Harry, and Ginny muttered something about Muggle Studies class. Ron, however, looked bewildered.

"What is this thing? What does this have to do with this temmis deal?" Ron said, turning it over in his hand. Harry and Ginny smirked, while Hermione gave a satisfied smirk. Harry had an idea that Hermione had been planning this for some time, with exactly this reaction.

"It's the racket. You hit the ball with it. And it's _tennis_, Ron. So, come on, the tennis lawn is down the street on the right." Hermione then opened the door and marched out, her own racket in one hand and a canister of canary yellow balls under her other arm. Harry shrugged to Ron, and after Ginny walked out he and Ron followed.

"You were asking for this, mate. She's going to hand your arse to you, you do realise?" Harry said in a lowered voice, and Ron nodded. Ginny dropped back and slid her arm through Harry's, smiling up at him. Ron started when he saw this, and gave Harry a questioning look. Harry just smiled and nodded, entwining his fingers with Ginny's.

Once at the tennis lawn, Hermione and Ron stood out on the grass while Ginny and Harry went to go sit on the bleachers. Harry had been wearing a track jacket over his tee shirt, and when Ginny stood up quickly because the heat from the metal bleachers was burning her legs that were exposed by her nicely short shorts he set it down for her to sit on. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, sending Harry into a blissful state. He leaned back so that his back and arm were on the bleacher behind them (the heat didn't bother him so much as Ginny) and pulled her back so that she was resting on her arm.

"You're lucky, Ron. Our town has the only true lawn in the county. Everyone else has courts. Now, the rules of the game are…" He could hear Hermione starting, but tuned her out and looked over at Ginny. She seemed to be enjoying herself, watching as Hermione attempted to teach Ron how to serve the tennis ball. Hermione, Harry noticed, was rather accurate and quick with the ball. Ron, however, either sent it soaring past the out-of-bounds line or came no where near the net.

"So, Miss Weasley, I feel awful. I seem to have forgotten your birthday this past year…" He said, looking back at the small girl sitting next to him. "Or really, I didn't think of it, seeing as I was newly on the run after the attack at the wedding." He said, looking down at her. "How was your sixteenth?"

"Honestly? It was dreadful. We were being hard-core watched, so no one could really come for my birthday tea. I got a lot of great gifts, but nothing really outstanding." She said, flicking back a lock of her blazing hair. It shone slightly gold in the sunlight, and Harry found himself transfixed.

"I wish I could have sent you something. And seen you, for that matter." He muttered, feeling great distress. After everything he was given for his birthday, it felt almost cruel that she had gone with so little. He especially remembered her specific gift…

"Ha, and risk compromising your position? No thank you. No, you can make it up to me this year…" She said, smiling mischievously. Harry hazarded a quick glance to see that Ron was still engrossed trying to learn the rules of tennis before raising his eyebrows at her.

"How so?" He asked, his blood boiling with thoughts of just how he would like to make things up to her… they had come so close before…

"You'll figure something out." She said, leaning up at him, her eyes blazing. Her lips were an inch from his, and Harry leaned into them, quickly pressing his to hers teasingly before pulling up and sitting straight foreword so that he was staring at Ron and Hermione. They seemed to have started, Ron was looking nervous as he launched the ball over the net. Hermione scratched her foot back like a cat before going after the ball, sending it back at Ron quickly. He was distracted from watching this quick few seconds of play by Ginny sitting straight up and looking down at him, pouting.

"Is that all I get, Potter?" She asked, tilting her head so that her hair cascaded down around her face like a curtain.

"Out in public with your brother right there, yeah." He said, rumpling his hair and smiling at her. Ginny seemed to think for a second, tilting her head up so that her brown eyes caught the sunlight.

"Well, you're paying me back my time with interest." She said smoothly, leaning back down on his arm. Harry turned and placed a quick kiss to her temple.

"You know it."


	5. Belated Birthday Gift

**Author's Note: This took forever, I know, and I'm sorry. I meant for this to be quick and easy to go without, so as to not offend anyone, but Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione took over and this became longer and longer and longer. There are some things in here that are pretty important… so I can't really say skip over to avoid the sexual content. But if you get to a point that seems a little racy, skip a few paragraphs unless it's the end of the chapter. This should help. So, twenty-four pages, 10,505 words, and one heck of a chapter later, I present the next chapter of my story. Although I must warn, this is written by a 16 year old who's still a virgin…so the quality might be lacking in certain parts. Read and review…and thanks for staying with me!**

The four walked back to Hermione's parents' house a few hours later. Hermione had thoroughly squashed Ron in three different sets, with Ron's technique becoming wilder by the point. At one point Ron had even thrown his racket at the incoming ball, causing Hermione to fall down and roll in hysterics on the tennis lawn while Harry and Ginny snickered together in the stands. Yet now as the four walked during the creeping sunset, Hermione and Ron seemed to have made up. Ron was walking with an arm around Hermione's shoulder, his head bowed low to her ear. Once in a while a word would flow in Harry and Ginny's direction, all seeming to come from a never ending line of apologies and praises. Hermione was wearing an _incredibly_ satisfied smile. Harry and Ginny were acting like children, making gagging motions and accompanying noises whenever these sounds came their way.

Harry swung his and Ginny's hands slightly to the left and right, and she beamed at him. The two had paid as little possible attention to the sporting event of the other couple. Ron being mere meters away, the time hadn't been spent in Harry's favorite activity (snogging Ginny), but in his second favorite activity (talking with Ginny). They talked a little about the Weasley family's prolonged hiding, where Ginny had been during the battle of Hogwarts, and Hogwarts under Voldemort's influence. They talked some about the couple out on the tennis lawn, and their expectations for them. Yet most of all, they talked in general. They shared opinions about people at Hogwarts, Harry's life at the Dursleys', and Ginny's growing up with six brothers. Harry felt the connection with Ginny deepen, and it was with dismay that they followed Ron and Hermione back to Hermione's parents' house.

Once securely inside, the four apparated back to the Burrow only to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley waiting for them. They were still dressed in the formal attire required by the somber event they had been attending, but smiled broadly as the quartet entered the sitting room. Seeing Mrs. Weasley's eyes graze over his hand over Ginny's for a bit longer than natural, Harry hastily let go. Of course, Mrs. Weasley was going to know. In fact, the last time she had been thoroughly overjoyed at the thought of Harry and Ginny dating. Yet it still felt awkward, as he was in her house and they weren't completely open about being official yet. At least not until Ginny actually told her mother and father. Harry didn't exactly want to be around for that particular meeting.

"Arthur and I found your note, how was your time?" Mrs. Weasley asked, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence. Harry caught her hazard a glance at her husband, she obviously was trying to attempt what would become a boring and fairly annoying conversation for all else involved if he started asking questions about the particular muggle sport they had been playing.

"Oh it was lovely, wasn't it Ron?" Hermione asked mischievously, leaning close to Ron's ear. Harry saw Ron shudder slightly before giving Hermione an equally mischievous look.

"Absolutely brilliant. I think tennis is my new favorite sport." He said, his voice dripping sarcasm and his eyes holding a look that put mental pictures in Harry's head that he didn't even want to be thinking of. Glancing at Ginny, Harry saw that she had her eyes scrunched up as though blocking out the same mental images. Looking over at the Weasleys, Harry saw that they seemed oblivious to the obvious undertones to their youngest son's voice. Hermione only narrowed her eyes and took up Ron's unspoken challenge.

"Well, I think you'll have to wait a while until we play. I'm a little busy for a while." She said before whisking away to the kitchen under pretense of a glass of water. Ron looked as though he was in need of some water as well, but not down his throat. He excused himself to the kitchen hoarsely, and Harry made a mental note to not be the next one to enter the kitchen. Ginny, however, seemed to have other plans. She made a few complaints about being mildly hungry and made her way to the kitchen. Harry mentally wished her the best of luck, supposing that she probably had the best idea in breaking in there early.

"So, Harry, tennis? Did you play with actual raffets?" Mr. Weasley asked, wearing the avid look of a child with a pudding in front of his face. Harry decided it would be futile to explain that he and Ginny hadn't done the actual playing, so he jumped into correcting him. He was soon distracted by a rather red Hermione entering the room, a half filled glass of water clutched in her right hand. A second later, Ginny and Ron entered. Ginny looked amused and even proud of herself; Ron was scowling. Harry could only imagine how brave Ginny actually was to go and break up what was an obvious snog-fest.

The red headed girl in question gave Harry a certain look, and he scurried off into the kitchen. Ginny then gave the same look to Hermione, who dragged Ron out of the room to "go owl George." As Harry turned to click the door shut, he saw Ginny sitting down between her parents on the sofa. It warmed him a little inside to know that Ginny was going to tell them, so he busied himself with getting a quick glass of water. After a few minutes of staring around the Weasley kitchen, however, he heard footsteps in the hallway and the door slowly pulled open.

"So…I told them." Ginny said, her voice soft now that the two of them were alone. Harry was always astounded at how soft her voice became when they were alone (and not debating something).

"Reaction?" Harry asked, watching the spice cabinet alphabetize itself.

"Mum's thrilled, and Dad's proud as hell. Which isn't a surprise, Harry, seeing as you're already like family to them all." She said, hoisting herself onto the counter so that she was just level with his face: something rare on account of their mismatched heights.

"Are you not included in that sentiment?" He teased, placing his arms between her arms and her body, leaning towards her so that his forehead was touching hers.

"I'm not that kinky." She said, grinning at him before kissing him softly. Harry's response was immediate though gentle. He kissed her back, closing his arms around her back.

"Mum's going to find us. We better go upstairs." Ginny said after a few moments, breaking up the kiss. Harry made a noise of protest and tried to reclaim her lips, but Ginny shook her head.

"We'll have plenty of time tomorrow. Ron 'n Hermione are going to Diagon Alley for the day, just as a day trip. Not for school stuff just yet, seeing as we don't have the lists. It's going to be just you and me here, Mum and Dad are going to Uncle Emmit's for something or other. I think cousin Maybelle just had a baby, but I'm not sure. So we're going to have the house to ourselves."

"I don't think I'm going to mind that." Harry said, grinning.

"I don't think you will, either." Ginny said slyly, leading the way out of the room and through the hallway.

"Night mum, night Dad." Ginny said, leaning in the doorway of the sitting room.

"G'night, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, leaning in over Ginny and smiling at them.

"Goodnight, dears. I'll be up in a few minutes to check that you all are comfortable." Mrs. Weasley said, beaming at them.

"Of course you will." Ginny muttered, not loud enough to be heard by the Weasleys. The two started up the staircase, but a few stairs from the landing they stopped.

"I thought I heard feet." Came Hermione's voice.

"I don't. Shame I'm not allowed in you and Ginny's room, really. You wouldn't be hearing things." Ron responded.

"Right, because we'd be focusing on other things. The _reason_ you're not allowed in our room, mind you. No thanks, I'll stick to just a simple kiss in the hallways, personally."

"You always do." Ron sighed, and Ginny turned and made a face at Harry.

"We better finish up, anyways. Somebody'll be up here any moment now." Hermione said, her voice letting Harry and Ginny know that she knew more than she was admitting to Ron.

"Alright, sweet dreams, Love." Ron said tenderly. Harry returned Ginny's look.

"Love?" Came Hermione's voice softly, quaking a bit. Harry and Ginny's eyes grew wide in fright, wondering if they should get away slowly and quickly.

"Hermione, we've known each other for seven years, and I've liked you for three-ish-four-ish. You've felt the same way, so you've told me. Doesn't that mean I can love you?" This was getting to be an extremely awkward conversation for Harry and Ginny to be listening to.

"It better, since I love you too." Hermione said. Harry couldn't help but grin, and Ginny's eyes grew all dreamy. Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny and kissed her softly on the cheek, knowing just how glad Ginny was for her brother at that moment. It took a few minutes (in which Harry had the strangest idea that Ron and Hermione were attached at the face) before the two spoke again.

"Well, like I was saying, I've got to go to bed. Goodnight Ronald." Hermione's voice had a strange wistful tone attached to it.

"G'night, Hermione. See you in the morning, bright and early for the shopping trip."

"Night!" With that, the door clicked shut, and Harry and Ginny could hear footsteps moving up the steps, sounding a little more bouncy than usual. The pair hiding in the shadows waited until they could no longer hear the footsteps and it sounded settled in the room nearby for them to speak.

"That was sweet." Ginny said, still looking dreamy, her head resting on Harry's chest. He ran a hand through her red hair before kissing her softly on the top of her head.

"Yeah, it was. I'm so glad that they're back together and actually happy. Knock on wood, because there's no way I want to jinx them." He added the superstition an afterthought.

"Do what, exactly?" Ginny asked, befuddled.

"It's a muggle superstition. If you don't want to jinx something you just said, you knock on wood. I have no idea why, you just do." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders.

"But how can a muggle jinx someone?" She asked, turning her head up to him, her eyes wide with curiosity and mild confusion.

"They can't actually. They just mean… say something that will only make the opposite happen. That's considered a jinx in the muggle world." Harry was attempting an explanation for the concept, and knew that he was failing miserably. Ginny, however seemed settled with the answer.

"Well that's just silly. But you can knock on all the wood you want, as long as you tell me three little words tonight that will send me into the sweetest slumbers ever." She said, pulling at his hand as she walked up to the landing, standing in front of the door.

"Eat more chicken?" Harry joked, and to no surprise on his part Ginny swatted her hand at him and made light contact with his arm. It didn't hurt in the least, which made the manly act of making things seem not to hurt all the more easier.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, I love you." Harry said, true affection in his voice as he cupped her face in his hand, looking into her deep brown eyes.

"The sweetest sleep ever." Ginny whispered, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him lightly.

"Hey now, that's my job!" Harry said in a falsely indignant tone, crossing his arms.

"Says who? Goodnight Harry, I love you!" She said mischievously, her hand reaching out to open the door when she was suddenly stopped short as Harry's lips came crashing towards her own. They kissed for a good minute before Harry removed himself, looking triumphant.

"See you in the morning, Ginny." He said a little smugly.

"I can't wait." Ginny said, and with that she opened the door and slinked inside, closing the door behind her. Harry was still smirking as he made his way upstairs to Ron's room. He reflected as he passed Percy's former room that the next day Mrs. Weasley would be clearing out Percy's room and the room that had once held the twins out so that Harry and Hermione could have their own rooms.

When Harry reached the top floor landing he paused before turning the doorknob slowly, and opening the door a crack. He didn't have the slightest idea what state he would find Ron in, decent or not. But when he opened the door he saw Ron standing at the window, his shirt off but still in his jeans from the day. Ron sighed as Harry stepped into the room.

"Did you and Ginny hear us at the girls' door? 'Mione motioned that she thought you did." He said, not even turning around. A surge of guilt hit Harry in that he had eavesdropped, but his common sense told him that he hadn't had much of a choice.

"Yeah, we did kind of overhear you, mate. Congratulations. I've known for a long time you two would end up together." Harry said, tossing some spare shirts that he had thrown out of his drawers onto his bed while attempting to find a shirt this morning onto the floor.

Finally, Ron turned around and sat on the edge of the window, his red hair moving the slightest bit with the wind. He seemed to be in a bit lower mood than ten minutes past when he was downstairs with Hermione. He cupped his hands together and put his mouth to them, his elbows on his knees.

"You think she only said that out of reaction? Like I pressured her by saying that? It just slipped… I could have said…" Ron muttered dropping his head and covering his face with his hands.

"No way. She's crazy about you, has been for ages. Years, really. The way she acted when you left camp…I mean we were both upset, but she about died. And don't forget her reaction to Lavender calling you "Won-Won"… that's number two on my top-ten memories of you two only to after you got back to camp…" Harry said, now rummaging through the room for his pajama pants.

"But this isn't just being 'crazy' about me… this is more than that…" Ron sputtered, laying back against the glass of the window, his hands falling to his sides.

"And she does. Don't worry about it mate, you need to accept that she does love you. After all, you love her, right?" Harry said, changing before plopping down on his bed, his hands behind his head.

"Yeah. But…it's not like you're in this position…" Ron said, changing from his jeans to his pajama pants as well, but also pulling on a tattered Chudley Cannons shirt. When Harry didn't respond, Ron shot him a questioning glance.

"Wait… you and Ginny…" He asked, looking almost a little scared.

"Let's…go to sleep. You've got to go shopping in the morning." Harry said, taking off his glasses and leaning over for the lamp between the two beds.

"Do you… love Ginny?" Ron asked, sitting down on his own bed. Harry was caught, he was afraid of Ron's answer, but he couldn't lie. Slowly, he nodded.

"She was the last thing I thought about before I let Voldemort try to kill me… that's how much I love her, Ron." He said, running a hand through his dark hair. He didn't meet Ron's face, he was afraid of the anger he would find there…

"And she loves you, too?" Ron's voice was a little weak, Harry supposed this was a prequel to the shouting sure to come.

"She told me so today."

"Oh thank Merlin." Ron said, a new tone in his voice entirely. "I thought you two might not get back together again… Hermione said it was inevitable… but I was worried." Ron sounded completely ecstatic, which completely confused Harry.

"What? You're not mad?" Harry asked, his head shooting up to look at Ron, who was utterly beaming.

"Bloody hell, no! Mate, this is perfect! You two are brilliant for each other!" Ron said, punching the air with his fist.

Harry couldn't help but be relieved at hearing Ron's approval, although he knew that Ginny especially would be fine without it. He brushed his hair down subconsciously, smiling.

"We're all four fools, huh?" He asked, thinking of his own reaction to similar couples. But a group of two couples, that was a little over the top.

"Fools for sure, mate. You think we'll ever be like…like actually related?" Ron asked, his voice strange. Harry gulped silently, it wasn't as though he had never thought of this before. He had thought of it many times, what it would be like to be related to both Ron and Hermione through Ginny…

"Maybe… who knows?" He said, looking over at Ron.

"Yeah, who knows. Well, g'night." Ron said, looking a bit embarrassed at voicing the idea. This he hid by turning off the light with a definite click.

"Night, Ron." Harry said, pulling down the covers from his bed and settling between them, thinking of what it would be like to marry into the Weasley family.

"Harry... HARRY… **HARRY!**" Came a voice in his ear, and Harry opened his eyes. A mixture of grey rainy-morning light and orange-red met his eyes, so bright he had to shut them again.

"Wha…" He said, sitting up. Pulling his glasses off of the table, he slid them on to see Ginny sitting on his bed next to him, her arms folded. "Oh…good morning…" he said groggily, grinning stupidly at her.

"Merlin, Harry, you should have been awake an hour ago! Ron came down for breakfast without you, thinking you'd follow. Apparently not, so they sent me up here. Something makes me think that they just wanted me out of the room." She added the last bit as an afterthought before turning to his drawers.

"An hour? Bloody hell…" He said, ruffling his bangs off of his face. "And speaking of hell: What the hell are you doing?" He asked, throwing the covers off of himself and getting out of bed, forgetting that he was only wearing his boxers.

"I'm picking you out some clothes for the day so that it will quicken things out. Falmouth? No thank you. I thought you liked Puddlemere?" She said, rummaging through his drawers.

"I do, but Fred gave me that shirt a long time ago. Said it would help me pick out a good team, since I couldn't make up my mind. Given, it was made up the second Oliver made Puddlemere's reserve team. He's starting this year, y'know?" He asked, coming up behind her.

"Yeah, Ron told me. And that's typical Fred, trying to rub his team off on everyone else. I personally favor Holyhead, but that may just be me…"

"Crazy feminist. Like I said, good morning." He muttered, smiling and kissing her on the cheek.

"Good morning to you too, Harry. And nice boxers. Maybe I should pick out an outfit to go around them… green and gold…"

"Ah shit... I forgot… sorry…" He said, trying to find something to cover himself up with.

"Harry, I grew up with six brothers. It doesn't faze me in the slightest. Just don't ever expect it to turn me on, either." She said, smiling coquettishly up at him.

"Noted. Now are you going to let me pick out my own clothes or not?" He asked, placing his hands on her elbows.

"No! Now go take your shower and get ready. This stuff'll be ready when you come out."

"Fine… but the water'll be warm…" He joked, stretching out against the doorframe. Before he knew it, one of Ron's shirts was dangling off of his head. "Oh, you're asking for it now!" He said, flinging the shirt that Ginny had thrown at him onto the floor and running after her. Ginny squealed, but Harry caught her and pressed her against the wall, kissing her softly.

"Mmm… best way to start the day." She whispered.

"You're a much better alarm clock than Ron." He said, twirling a lock of her red hair and allowing it to fall on her bright blue shirt. The material was a little clingy, and extremely soft to the touch. Feminine as well, with a double-padded scooped collar and little frilly cap sleeves.

"Go get ready. I'll be downstairs." She said, reaching up to him and kissing him lightly. Harry turned and headed for the door. When he reached the doorway, however, Ginny called out to him.

"Oh, and Harry?"

"Yeah?" He asked, turning around.

"You might want to take care of that…excitement of yours."

Harry groaned and headed out the door.

Twenty minutes later Harry emerged into the kitchen, dressed in the gold shirt with a large red Gryffindor symbol and jeans that Ginny had picked out for him. He carried in his pocket the moleskin Hagrid had given him. Inside was his wand, the key to his Gringotts vault, and a few galleons he still had left over from the last time he had been to Diagon.

When he walked into the kitchen he found Hermione in a short grey peacoat sitting next to Ron, who was in his old buffalo plaid coat, both sipping pumpkin juice and eating pancakes.

"Sorry, it's not exactly a gourmet breakfast. Mum and dad left early for Uncle Emmit's, so I made breakfast. I'm better at making pancakes than what Mum usually makes, so I made, well, pancakes." Ginny said, standing up from her seat on the sill of the big window.

"Mmm…pancakes…" He said, walking over to the skillet where the pancakes were cooking. He attempted to pull it off of the pan with the spatula, but it only fell apart into a mixture of flaky and gooey.

"Shoo! This is why boys don't cook… it isn't sexist… it's common sense." She said, stepping between him and the destroyed pancake, pointing at the plate of already made pancakes waiting for him on the counter.

"Oh…" He said, feeling rather stupid. He picked up the plate and headed for the table. "You've just been the all-around matron today, haven't you?" He asked after taking a bite.

"Huh? Seeownymaypacakes…" Ron was apparently enjoying his pancakes with great delight, as they were heavily disrupting his speech. Hermione covered her eyes with one hand, turning away from the sight of her boyfriend speaking with his mouth full.

"Manners, Ron!" She said in an exasperated voice.

"Right… just pancakes." Ginny said with a wink, sitting down next to Harry and helping herself to a few slices of cantaloupe from the bowl on the table. "So, where in Diagon are you two heading?" She said, sucking the juice from the fruit off of her fingers.

"I desperately need to stop by Madam Malkins. I suppose that now we're all of age we should probably wear more Wizarding clothing, especially since we'll start doing job interviews." Hermione reasoned, setting aside her finished pancakes.

"Inerviews? We'regonnagobatuhHowarts, righ?" Ron said, incredulous. Ginny submerged into a fit of giggles at Hermione's furious glare, and Harry couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Honestly Ron, swallow! And you should know, having five older siblings, that in the seventh year we go through many job interviews." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. This was news to Harry. Job interviews this year? He had an odd feeling that his desired occupation wouldn't be too hard for him to enter.

A while later the four emerged onto the Burrow's front porch, safeguarded from the rain. They were laughing and talking, well fed and ready to go about their days. Harry had put on his old windbreaker jacket to protect himself from the storm gusts while he saw his friends out.

"Ready Ron? See you two tonight then!" She called out to Harry and Ginny, while she and Ron apparated. Harry looked down at Ginny and grinned.

"They're not going to Madam Malkin's, are they?" He asked, receiving a matching smile.

"Of course not. Probably the most secluded spot Hermione can find. And of course, Ron'll be incredulous." She said, rolling her eyes.

"When isn't he?" Harry asked, laughing. "Don't you need an umbrella? Your hair'll get messed up." He added, looking at Ginny's hair. It was falling in curls today, which Harry didn't remember Ginny ever having had before. Nor had he ever seen curls stay so immaculate in rain. Which only led to one answer…

"Magic. Hermione taught me how to keep my hair steady in any weather, a long harbored talent by witches. So no, no umbrella needed."

"I'm supposing she also taught you how to curl it like that?"

"No, that's a basic. I've been able to do it for years, I just never, well, wanted to. There's not even an incantation needed, you just wrap hair around your wand and want it to curl. Same for eyelashes." She added, batting her own for effect.

"That explains why Lavender usually had her wand precariously close to her eyes at breakfast. By the way, have you heard how she is?" He asked her.

"Yeah, she's doing fine. Pretty big fall though, so she'll still be recuperating for a while. Ron should be thanking Merlin, Dagda, and anything else he can find that she didn't die, that would be one awkward funeral." She said, raising her eyebrows and slanting her lips.

"Sure would. Well, should we go back inside?" He said, offering her his arm.

"Yeah, sure. Kind of odd having this whole house to just us." She mused, laying her hand on the doorframe.

"Yeah…but I'm pretty sure we can find something or other to do." He said with a smirk, and the two walked inside.

Harry followed Ginny back inside, and took off his jacket, hanging it on the hook by the door. Ginny started upstairs, and Harry followed, a bit confused.

"Hey, where are you going?" He called from a landing below her. She bypassed her own room and kept going higher, bewildering Harry.

"We're going to get your Firebolt and Ron's cleansweep…I want to play Quidditch!" Ginny called out, leaning over the railing so that her hair swept down around her face as she smiled at him. Harry leaned out over the railing so that he could see her, and their eyes locked. Harry couldn't help but return her smile.

"In this weather? Are you mad?" He asked, a grin still tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Duh! Come on, you're the captain. We have to practice in all weathers, isn't that the thing you're always saying?" She asked, bouncing up and down a little. From Harry's vantage point, this gave off a peculiar effect.

"Well yes…but in the school year… we haven't started yet… and I might not even be captain anymore, seeing as I wasn't there last year. I might not even be eligible to play."

"Of course you will. On both accounts. Now come on, I want to play Quidditch!"

"Ginny, we're both Seekers… we'll get killed by the wind!" He said, and this seemed to make some sense to Ginny.

"Well…but…" She protested, but Harry shook his head.

"It's no use. Get down here. We'll play exploding snap or something until we can fly, okay?" He asked, grinning at her obvious displeasure with the weather.

"Fine, but wouldn't one of us need to get the deck then?" She asked, placing her elbows on the railing.

"That would be the case if we weren't a witch and a wizard. Accio exploding snap!" He said, and Ron's deck flew down. Harry caught it easily in his left hand, and shifted his head to the side in attempt to get Ginny to come down. She started down, and Harry propped himself against the wall next to her door in order to wait for her. She came down the stairs a bit more upbeat than he expected, grinning.

"Last one down has to clean Arnold's cage!" She yelled suddenly, a wild grin spreading across her face as she ran out in front of him.

"Hey not fair!" He said, running after her. The two were laughing, and on the last landing he sprang over the banister and landed on the floor just before she managed to make it to the hallway.

"Not fair, you cheated!" She protested, leaning over forewards.

"So did you!" He said back to her, grinning. Ginny pouted, and Harry walked towards her. He laid a hand on her shoulder, then out of the blue he swept her up into his arms, holding her like a baby.

"Put me down!" She protested, laughing.

"Not until you admit that you cheated!" He said, spinning around quickly.

"No…no…no…no…" she laughed, turning towards him to avoid the possibility of falling.

"Say it or I won't let you down…" He said down to her, by now forgetting what they were even fighting over. He spun faster, just enjoying playing with Ginny.

"Maybe I don't want you to put me down." She said, her hands on his chest, her brown eyes peering up at him. Harry slowed down, and just as he stopped bent over and kissed her. She moaned slightly with surprise, and locked her arms around his neck. He hoisted her higher up to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her so as to not let her fall.

When the two broke apart for breath, Ginny's eyes were wide and her breath running ragged. "No, definitely don't want you to put me down." She said, even as she lowered herself out of his arms to where she was standing in front of Harry, her arms still laying idly on his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist.

Harry felt weak for some reason that had nothing to do with holding Ginny. He moved his hand to brush away a stray lock of her glistening red hair, but found his hand to be holding the long forgotten box of exploding snap.

"Oh, right…" Said Ginny, mistaking the reason for the card box dangling in front of her face.

"Yeah…uh huh…" He said, watching as Ginny sat down on the ground next to him. Shaking his head slightly, he sat next to her and dealt the cards. As they played Harry couldn't keep his mind from wandering to the way Ginny looked when she lay out a card, or how her hair was, despite its magic, relaxing out of its curls and into waves that shimmered whenever a bolt of lightening flashed by the sitting room window. Ginny seemed a little unfocused as well, and between the two of them it was a horribly played game of snap, with Harry barely coming out on top. As they started a second game, the sky started to clear up. Harry broke the ice by gloating a little bit, and the two played and laughed, being their old selves in the next round. By the time they finished (with Harry winning again), it was still cloudy, but no rain at all.

"Oooh…let's go play Quidditch now. Like…one on one with the Quaffle." She said, bouncing up and down a little. It was nearing noon, and Harry had to think for a second.

"We should probably eat first. You know?" Harry said, looking at the clock on the wall.

"Yeah. I'll make sandwiches." Ginny said, standing up and flipping her hair back over her shoulder.

"I'll help." Harry said, standing up so that he was back to being his good handful of inches above her. Ginny smiled up at him, tossing her hair back behind her head.

"If you must… but don't get in the way. We can't have you flubbing up a sandwich, can we?" She said, her eyes glistening.

"Now how can I make a mistake on a sandwich? You don't have _that_ low of esteem for me, do you?" He asked, fake pouting and placing his hands on her hips.

"In the world of cooking…yes. That poor pancake, it never had a chance…" She murmured, echoing his pout. Slowly and definitely her hands moved upwards and clasped around his neck, and she pressed against him with her head and shoulders leaning back to look up at him.

"So like you." He murmured back, moving down and kissing her softly, passionately, warmly. Ginny moaned as his lips pushed against hers, his arms encompassing her tightly and pulling her towards him. She tightened her grip around his neck, stepping on her tiptoes while kissing him back. Harry gave a little more support under her shoulder blades, and was rewarded with the response of Ginny lifting her feet one at a time so that he was literally holding her above the ground. It was a bit straining, but with Ginny kissing him back the way she was, he was in no place to complain. As his lips trailed across her cheek she sighed, causing Harry to moan into the soft skin of her cheek.

"God Ginny…" He said, his voice muzzled by the curve of her chin, where his mouth was currently pressed. Ginny whimpered in response, all the time holding herself closer to him.

"Sandwiches…" She breathed, a weak protest in Harry's opinion, but a protest all together. Harry lowered her back down to the ground, reclaiming her lips with his own for the briefest of seconds before releasing them, a hand snuggling into the waves of her crimson hair.

"If you insist…" He teased, flipping a lock of her hair.

"Who said I insist?" She asked, her voice deep and with a little more edge to it than Harry was used to… which provided Ginny's intentional effect. Harry buckled a bit at the knees, his eyes locked with Ginny's large brown ones filled with so much heat and desire. Groaning slightly, he pulled her face to his, kissing around her jawbone and up to her temple causing her to sharply inhale. Yet even as she did so, Ginny moved and placed a kiss at his neck, making it his turn to inhale. She was also running her hands up and down over his back, and he felt as though he would surely collapse without any support from a source other than the small figure in front of him.

His hands began to explore over her as well as he reclaimed her lips again. One closed over her shoulder, the other still winding freely in her falling hair. Her hands moved under his shirt, tracing the lines of his muscles with a single finger. The feel of her fingernail against his skin caused chills to erupt over Harry's body, the gooseflesh seeming to make Ginny even more concentrated in her pursuit. Harry swallowed down a groan and started kissing her neck, nibbling at her pulse point. Ginny moaned and tried to find his lips again, but he wouldn't let her. His lips slowly and surely made their way down her neck and to her collarbone area, his fingers stroking where his hands had just been. Ginny shuddered, and Harry could feel that it was her turn to get chills. His fingers played around and stroked slightly under the scooped collar of her shirt. They next slid down and pressed underneath her breasts, his lips moving around the edges of his collar.

"Harry…" Her voice was between a whisper and a moan, her breath coming raggedly, so much that he could feel the air coming from her mouth blowing at his hair.

"Mhmmm?" He muttered into the skin of her chest, his fingers one by one brushing over the tops of her breast, dragging the slinky fabric of her shirt slightly with them as they went. However, Ginny didn't respond, she only threaded her fingers through his hair and moaned. Yet something strange happened as she moaned. It started out as a regular moan: that seductive noise Ginny made when they were in moments of passion. As Harry reflected, he realized that this was as far as they had gone before. Maybe that explained why the noise Ginny made suddenly turned from a moan to something a bit raspier. Groggily, Harry's mind was reminded of Ron by the noise. Ginny stopped stock still, flushing from what Harry could see to the face he straightened up to look at. She was embarrassed, and looked on the verge of either tears or laughter.

"Excuse me?" She muttered meekly, her face contorted with embarrassment. "I guess I really am hungry…" She moved her hand to hide her face away from him. Her embarrassment was incredibly cute to Harry, and he pulled her hand away, leaning in and kissing her. He made it a romantic gesture, tipping her a bit like in those silly movies Aunt Petunia was so prone to watching while having Harry do the dusting.

"I guess it's time for those sandwiches, huh?" He said, rocking her back and forth. She was still incredibly pink in the face, but smiling at him shyly.

"Last one in has to clean up!" She said, laughing as they ran for the kitchen.

An hour later they emerged outside in their jackets, the rain had left a crisp coolness to the air. Each clutched a broom in his/her hand, Ginny's being Ron's Cleansweep. Harry had already called in and replaced his Firebolt, seeing as he had more than enough money to provide for the top-of-the-line broom. The new broom in his hands didn't have the same familiarity as his old Firebolt, and the sentimental value of it having been given to him by Sirius was gone. Still, Harry had decided to buy a new Firebolt rather than waiting for the new continental model, the Starstruck, to come out. This was the last year he would need a competition broom, and his Firebolt was more than good enough. Harry also had the battered red quaffle under his arm. They held hands while walking to the orchard-hidden makeshift pitch. The tarnished hoops Mr. Weasley had erected for his children still stood, although the lines were so faded they could hardly be seen. It didn't matter, with one-on-one they wouldn't need a keeping area.

"Prepare to lose." Ginny said, leaning over and kissing him, stealing the quaffle in the process. With that she swung herself over her broom and flew up about twenty feet with only the briefest hesitation before starting to soar towards Harry's hoops.

"I guess saying you're cheating would get me no where, huh?" He asked while jumping on his broom and flying after her. His broom being the quicker of the pair, he was able to catch up with her fairly easily. Yet Ginny being a chaser, she easily outmaneuvered him. It was a whole new side to Quidditch, actually playing from the position rather than watching it.

"Harry, you should just give up. You're not a chaser. You don't have the build, for one." Ginny said after a half an hour, Harry having the ball and attempting to move past her. Harry smirked.

"My dad was chaser, and I look just like him." He said, attempting to hook around her but being stopped by her ever-present skill at reading him.

"Oh yeah, that's right. He had like three championships with Gryffindor." She said, the conversation not distracting her from blocking his attempt to dive under her.

"Gee, who does that sound like?" Harry said, managing final to get around Ginny with a triple-fake that took a lot of maneuvering and a slight dizziness in Harry's mind.

Six hours later Harry found himself beaten thoroughly, with Ginny at six times his score. The two called it a day and started up for the Burrow. As they were walking past Fred's grave, they could just see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley apparate outside the house. As they drew closer, they could see that both looked harried, and Mrs. Weasley was very close to shouting.

"Allow them, ALLOW THEM! Of all the brainy plans, Arthur! You saw them last night! We brushed over it, pretended we didn't see it, but the fact of the matter is that he's a hormonal teenage boy! All of them are! Harry, bless him, hasn't had such a problem, but Ron's a floundering fish around Hermione… and she's not exactly well versed in drawing the line about these things! But no, let them go off and stay the night in Hogsmeade by themselves, by all means!"

Harry's eyes widened, and looking over at Ginny he saw the same reaction. Quickly, they jumped behind a flowering bush, upsetting a bee in the process. Ginny shot it down quickly with her wand, and went back to listening to her parents.

"They just want to go shopping, Molly. I'm sure they won't…" Arthur started, fear looming in his eyes.

"Won't what? If you were a teenage boy staying in an inn with your girlfriend, what wouldn't you do, Arthur?"

"You're not one to…" Arthur started, apparently jumping on some new defense. Next to Harry, Ginny cringed at the idea of her parents as teenagers alone in an inn together.

"EXACTLY, ARTHUR! You know what this means, don't you? We have to go with them! Block them from doing something they'll regret! They only just started dating, and we both know how many times those two have fought!"

"You think Harry and Ginny will be okay left alone?" Arthur hazarded, glancing out into the yard. Harry had the slightest idea that Arthur realized they were there.

"They'll be fine. Harry's wonderful at defense, and Ginny's more than capable of defending herself. Now, give me a while to clean up and get ready and then I'll make supper, okay?" With that Molly stormed inside. Without hesitating, Ginny hopped up and walked over to her father.

"So Ron and Hermione are going to Hogsmeade?" She asked, leaning against the wall of the house. Harry came walking up behind her, smiling at Mr. Weasley.

"Yes, Hermione couldn't find a special kind of blibbergi-, blibbergeu-, oh, something that goes in a potion. She thinks she can find it in Hogsmeade, but since the shops are closed for the night she thought that it would be best if she and Ron went up there tonight and stayed over in the local inn. And I, apparently stupidly, gave my permission."

"Oh, so we've got a while to wait before dinner. Come on, Harry. The Weird Sisters are doing a special broadcast tonight." With that Ginny dragged Harry by the wrist into the house and to the sitting room, dropping Ron's broom on the floor and signaling Harry to do the same while she took the wireless and turned the dial until a familiar voice filled the room.

"_Hello, Wizards and Witches, this is Lee Jordan coming to you from the newly decoded and de-secretive program __**Potterwatch**__. With me I have the biggest sensation to hit the wizarding community in ages, the Weird sisters. In a few moments they will take the stage, but before that I would like them to answer…"_

Harry settled down on the couch, resting his arm across the back and spreading his legs out lengthwise in front of him, seemingly taking up just about as much space as he could. Ginny turned away from the wireless and went to sit down next to Harry, tripping over his outstretched leg. Sprawling next to him she sat back up laughing and swatting at him. Her fall had caused her shirt to ride up over her hip, giving Harry the view of gracefully curving skin. In proper male fashion, he grabbed it, tickling a bit at her stomach playfully. Ginny shuddered over protectively, pushing his hand away.

"Oooh…stop…" She said, her voice moaning but her eyes sparkling as she moved closer to him, playing up her vulnerability. Harry took the bait and started to lean in to kiss her, but Ginny shook her head.

"Not now. Didn't you hear mum? She trusts us. We'll have plenty of time for that sort of thing later. But for now…" Ginny whispered, shooting a glance at the door behind which her father stood tinkering with something that looked as though it had once been a toaster.

"Alright. But…" he whispered, kissing her quickly. "I had to get that out of my system." He said with a wink. Ginny seemed to soften a bit at the gesture, and a grin crossed her lips.

"Perfectly understandable." She muttered, reluctantly turning away. Harry couldn't help but grin at the effect he had on her, and tightened his arm around her. She shot him a glance, and he pretended to be offended.

"I am allowed to _touch_ you, aren't I?" He said, placing his other hand on his chest and faked looking pained.

"Of course you are." She said, getting dangerously close to him before quickly turning off, an obvious smirk lifting a cheek. Harry sighed, settling down and attempting to actually listen to the broadcast.

Dinner was a quiet affair, with Mrs. Weasley still obviously furious with her husband, while at the same time she seemed delighted at the excursion. She listed off several different things she needed to buy in Hogsmeade, and her prattling gave everyone else at the table an excuse not to speak. Mr. Weasley, of course, was still (to use the common phrase) in the dog house, so he was quiet. Ginny and Harry, however, were attempting not to speak because they were attempting to hide their flirting from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They were sitting across the table from each other, and alternating between kicking each other and playing "footsie" while their facial expressions attempted to not convey this information.

"As I was saying, robes are in high demand right now as almost everyone lost a set while either hiding or fighting or something to that manner. So I think I should wait a while to replace mine, as the quality will go down a bit. I was thinking though that it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace that…" Mrs. Weasley was still prattling to no one in particular when Harry felt a sharp pain shoot through his calf from a particularly well placed kick from Ginny. He bent over from the pain, something Mrs. Weasley didn't miss.

"Harry dear, are you alright?" She asked concernedly. Ginny's eyes grew wide, and she was obviously attempting not to laugh. Shooting her a look calling for revenge, Harry faked a cough.

"Choked on a bit of the muffins, Mrs. Weasley." He muttered the lie quietly, as though his throat was still raw. Ginny began to shake a bit in her chair, her suppressed laughter causing her eyes to become a little wet.

"Arms over your head Harry, that's the ticket." Arthur said helpfully. Harry dutifully complied, thinking that it would be suspicious not to. Ginny's fits of giggles further ensued, and Harry rolled his eyes at her, causing her to slowly sober up to just a small grin.

"So, mum, did you already book your room with Aberforth or are you just going to get it when you get there? It's getting pretty late, you might want to get there sooner so that he's not cranky and won't give you a room next to a half-banshee or something…" Ginny said, glancing at Harry's watch from across the table. Nine at night wasn't exactly a barman's idea of late, but the idea seemed to settle into Mrs. Weasley's head.

"She's right. We best go, Arthur. Now you two behave, we'll be back tomorrow noon for lunch. There's plenty here for you to eat in the morning, and I've already had Arthur lay out food for the chickens. You know where to send Pigwidgeon if you need us." She said, rising from the table.

"Yes, goodnight!" Arthur agreed, standing up and nodding his head at the two. Molly was busy cleaning up, but after she did she took her cloak from the hook and smiled at them.

"Goodnight, dears! See you tomorrow!" She said. She and Arthur then walked out the door, and disapparated just out of sight. The two sat still for a few moments before Ginny spoke.

"Choking on the muffin? You're so lucky my parents are oblivious." Ginny accused, a smirk on her face.

"Right…because there was a better defense just dancing in front of my face…" He said, standing up and walking around the table. "And like you wouldn't have said something equally impromptu." He said, placing his hands on either side of her on the cold wood of the table, leaning over her.

"That's beside the point." She said, a wicked look on her face as she tilted her head back. Harry turned his neck just the slightest bit and lowered himself down to kiss her. Ginny slipped her arms up around his neck, pulling him the slightest bit closer.

"Hmm…I think we left the wireless on." She muttered arbitrarily as they pulled away. He followed her out of the kitchen and to the sitting room, where she promptly turned off the wireless.

"I think I'm ready for bed. I'll just put the brooms in the closet…hey, where'd the quaffle go?" She asked, looking over where they had set their brooms.

"Shit, probably dropped it when we hid behind that bush. I'll go get it." Harry said. He started heading for the door.

"Okay, but I'm going to bed. Just set it there, and we'll clean up in the morning." She said, walking over and kissing him before turning back upstairs. For some reason or other Harry didn't feel goodnights were in order, and walked outside into the cool summer night air in order to retrieve the quaffle. He found it just where he expected, behind the bush they had hidden behind. As he walked back he saw a bird swoop low over his head and land in a tree next to another bird. He stopped to watch the bird's happy homecoming, the sound of chirping baby birds as well. Harry smiled as a crisp breeze went past him, blowing his hair just the slightest bit. He started walking again, a subconscious calmness setting into him.

He walked back into the house, locking the door behind him. He dropped the quaffle on the pair of brooms and started up the stairs, attempting to decide whether or not to knock on Ginny's door and wish her goodnight. These thoughts proved themselves pointless as he reached the first floor landing, the door cracking open quietly, Ginny just visible in the sliver he could see through the door. Her hair was now almost completely straight, leaving her looking much more like the Ginny he had always known. She had removed her shoes, which even though they had been trainers left her shorter than he was used to.

"Harry, will you come here love?" She said, leaning against the doorframe, the door opening up just the littlest bit further. Harry could see into her room, see the Holyhead posters still decorating her walls, see Arnold the Pygmy Puff still buzzing around in his cage.

"Of course, sweetheart." He said, stepping towards her. He rested his arm against the frame above her head, leaning towards her. "Ah, good memories, this doorway." He grinned at her, and could notice that Ginny seemed a little timid. Yet she returned his grin, looking for an explanation. 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there was, what is it, five years ago now? That I walked past here and saw these huge brown eyes staring at me…" here Ginny blushed and swatted him on the chest at his reference to her youthful crush, "and then there was last year… so unfortunately interrupted by your overprotected brother." He finished unfazed, grinning down at her.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." She said, dropping her eyes just the slightest bit and then raising them back up to his, obviously attempting to gather her courage. Harry felt a stillness run through him, but grinned.

"Your overprotective brother?" He asked, attempting to lighten her up.

"No…when I asked you in here last year. Before my brother." She said, a flush rising slightly in her cheeks. Harry decided that the time for teasing her was over.

"I'm listening." He said softly, waiting for her to continue.

"It's just that we…never finished." She said, her face oddly blank, her eyes on fire. Harry stirred from his stillness, moving to wrap his arms around Ginny's small frame.

"Would you like to?" He asked her, brushing a lock of her crimson hair back from her face.

"More than anything." She said, loosening up just the slightest bit, yet still not smiling. Harry knew just how to fix that problem. Slowly, gently, delicately, he bent down and kissed her. Her response was immediate, her arms clasping around his neck and her lips opening against his, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth. This continued for some time, both frozen in time as they kissed in the doorway. Yet suddenly, Harry paused from his pursuit of Ginny's mouth and whispered delicately in her ear.

"I love you so much." He said before kissing just under her ear, causing her to start slightly before he took up kissing down her jaw and under her chin.

"Mmm…I love you too." She said, her eyes drifting closed as his lips began to suckle at her pulse point. Deciding it would be best if there were no souvenirs of their night together she took his hands in hers and brought him into her room to sit on her bed. Harry picked her up around the waist and sat her on the bed first, his fingers bunching around her stomach to tickle her slightly. Ginny moaned at the gesture, but a smile drew across her lips.

"Much better. I thought you might be going through a timid spell or something." He said, tracing around her curved mouth with his finger from his point standing in front of the bed, leaning down over her.

"Timid? You've got to be kidding me." She said wickedly, standing on the wooden frame of the bed and kissing him, pulling his shirt up as she did so, breaking the kiss only to get the shirt over his head, allowing it to drop to the floor as she launched back into the kiss, pulling him down onto the bed next to her and rolling over on him, still kissing him fervently all the while.

"Okay, I think you've made your point." He said, his eyes determinedly closed as he broke the kiss. In a quick, smooth motion he peeled her soft blue shirt over her head, followed by her matching undershirt. At what he now saw, he couldn't help but laugh just the littlest bit.

"What?" She asked, worry and defense crowding into her voice.

"A blue bra, Ginny? Of all the things I would have expected…" he said, laughing good naturedly at the sky blue bra that covered Ginny's small breasts. "Red, black, white, anything but blue!"

"I like my colors, thank you." She said, raking her fingers over Harry's chest and causing him to still the slightest bit. Grinning wickedly, she leaned over and pressed her lips to the smooth, well muscled skin of his chest.

"Hmm…you weren't so well formed last year." She said, her hands tracing over his muscles.

"Lack of food and excess of physical exertion will do that to you I guess." He said, removing her hands from his chest and holding them both in one hand. He leaned in and kissed her, attempting to show just how passionate he was about her at that very moment. Gently he ran his hand up and down her torso, loving the way she contracted slightly under him. He moved for the button of her jeans, and as he loosed the button from its hold he inadvertently brushed the smooth skin of Ginny's lower stomach, causing her to moan and arch slightly towards him. Harry quickly unzipped her pants and slid them down her legs, tossing them onto the floor next to their shirts. This revealed a smooth cottony pair of matching blue boy-shorts. Harry smiled.

"I should have known." He said, grinning wickedly and beginning to move towards her bra again. He traced the edges of the blue cotton material with his fingers, causing Ginny to shudder and wind her fingers into his hair. Yet she managed to remove them without Harry noticing, unbuckling his belt and the button of his jeans. As she slid down the zipper she found that his member was erect and ready for her, little coaxing needed. As his pants fell down to his ankles Harry kicked off his own trainers and socks, allowing the jeans to fall to the floor. Seeing the boxers she had laughed at in the morning, she smiled at him mischievously.

"I thought it wouldn't turn you on?" He teasingly whispered into her ear, his hot breath causing Ginny to close her eyes, it pleased her so much. This wasn't wasted on Harry, he ran his tongue around the rim of her ear, causing her to gasp. The two moved to right themselves on the bed, Ginny lying down with Harry propping himself up above her.

"That didn't mean it couldn't add on to what was already started…" Ginny said as Harry turned his attentions to unlatching her bra. Finally he managed to pull it away from her, releasing her two small, well formed breasts. Gently, Harry rubbed his palms over her nipples, causing Ginny to arch towards him. Harry caressed her for some time, causing Ginny to moan every once and a while, making Harry's blood run hot. He drifted one hand down, gently pulling down Ginny's underwear and dropping them off the side of the bed. He stopped and straightened, staring at Ginny's perfect figure beneath him. He could see Ginny's breathing shallow, her face hesitant. He moved over her, kissing her lips delicately.

"You're beyond beautiful." He whispered, his hands clasping on her shoulders. Ginny blushed still more yet, but a glint formed in her eye as she reached her cold hands down and stroked the muscle of his stomach before quickly and efficiently yanking down Harry's boxers.

"So are you."

He shuddered as the cool air, and Ginny's eyes, met his member. She reached out as though to touch it, but he caught her hand quickly. He placed a quick kiss to her palm before placing it back on the bed next to Ginny, concentrating very hard on how to go about doing this. He had never… he had heard very little about it… but he did remember Ron's account of something he did to Lavender that Hermione could _never_ know about…

Harry trapped the folds of Ginny's…female parts…with his fingers, slowly rubbing them against each other and in gentle circles. Underneath him Ginny tightened, her eyes drifting shut. He continued to do this until she became pleasantly moist, and then he separated the folds and started to circle two of his fingers around the small indention just above her opening. Ginny moaned and arched upwards to him, tightening all the more. He kept the fingers of his right hand circling, but slipped his left index finger into the slick, warm opening in front of him. Ginny's response was instantaneous, she tensed further, and her insides pressed against his finger. Groaning, Harry pulled his finger out of her, stopped the circling. He slid his hands up her torso to rest on her rib cage, holding her tightly.

"Ginny, love, you haven't done this before, have you?" He asked. It wasn't accusatory, but questioning. Ginny shook her head, her eyes flickering open. She was gazing at him with the hard gaze he had become so accustomed to in their relationship; although he saw that her pupils were slightly larger than usual.

"No. And you haven't…" She asked, her face pale.

"Of course not." Harry said, kissing her sweetly before positioning his member at her base. She tensed even more beneath him, knowing what was to come. As slowly as possible, Harry started to slide into her. He was just beginning to think he was in the clear when suddenly he felt something slacken around him and Ginny tensed up in a quick movement. He stopped stock still, waiting.

"Should I…" He started hesitantly, watching her.

"Keep…going…" She cut across him, her eyes screwed closed. Gently he pushed further into her, and he felt Ginny relax a little bit. He moved further, testing her, and was confirmed in his questions when Ginny moaned again. He allowed himself to keep moving, figuring out what seemed to bring pleasure to Ginny and him at the same time. Soon he found Ginny's groans coming more frequently, and his own bliss pushing the edges.

"Gin…ny…" 

"Ha…rry…" They called, and soon collapsed from their orgasms. After a few moments Harry opened his eyes and slid under Ginny's covers, helping her along with him. Her eyes were wide yet obviously sleepy, and she snuggled happily against his chest.

"Harry…get the light." She asked, and he could feel her eyelashes drag shut against his skin. Harry reached over and took her wand from the bedside table, managing to remove the light from the room with it before setting it back down. He pulled the covers up closer over them, his arms around Ginny's small body. Bending his head down, he placed a kiss on her scarlet hair before stroking through it with one hand.

"Mmm…I love you, Harry." She said, pressing a kiss to his bare chest.

"You too, Ginny." He said, tilting her head up to his with one hand and kissing her goodnight.


	6. Adjustments

**I'm so, so, so, so sorry! My computer has crashed a total of three times since my last chapter, including one that lasted two and a half weeks! Every time but one I had to completely start this chapter over! Please forgive me, I promise never to make you wait that long again! Now, onto the chapter. This chapter wasn't originally planned when I came up with the concept of the story. Yet as Jo gave more and more interviews after the book, I had more and more information to work in instead of things I made up. Although I had a lot of stuff surprisingly fitting the plot (Hannah-Neville, Ginny as a journalist) there were some things that needed to be fixed: and they are in this chapter. It also saves the flow of the story from having to go back and change earlier details to fit canon. So, without further ado, Chapter Six: Adjustments.**

When Harry awoke all he could see was the white ceiling above him, but as soon as his other senses filled in he knew that something was different. The room he was in didn't smell like the cluttered teenage refuge of Ron's room, the glowing morning light was coming in from a different direction than Ron's room, he was slightly cold, there was a weight on his left shoulder, and he could hear the steady breathing of another person very close to him. Shifting his head slightly he saw both the explanation for these things and one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen right there next to him. Ginny was still asleep on her side, her head resting on his shoulder, one hand stretched out across his bare chest. The covers of her bed were draped over her figure, showing that she was not clothed. Harry's memory instantaneously informed him just exactly why Ginny was laying next to him, each part of the memory in vivid detail. Harry stifled the groan that came along with such a memory only by wanting Ginny to be undisturbed in her slumber. Still, Ginny seemed to notice the change in his posture as her eyes fluttered open, her eyelashes grazing across his shoulder. She seemed to take in what was in front of her for a moment before squeezing her arm around him tighter, pressing her lips to his chest in a feather-light movement. Harry moved his arm around her, holding her tighter to him.

"Good morning, love." He said, tipping her head up and bringing her lips to his.

"Good morning." She replied sweetly as she drew back from him, her eyes dreamy and her voice soft. As her brown eyes gazed into his Harry couldn't help but remember Dumbledore's funeral, when he had told her how he sometimes saw the time together as snatches out of someone else's life. This surely _couldn't_ actually be happening.

"Aw, Ginny." Harry said, cupping her face in his hands. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. Ginevra Molly Weasley. I love you so much." He said softly, his voice thick. His hands cupped around her face caused her to look even more pleasing as she lay there next to him, obviously completely naked, her make-up all but worn away over night. It was astounding how beautiful she was lying next to him, the perfectly uncorrupted view of her: No make-up, no clothes, nothing but Ginny. His Ginny.

"Mmm…Harry." She said, nestling her head into his shoulder, kissing his neck. "What time is it?" She asked groggily, tipping her head back to attempt a glance at the clock across the room from her bed. Harry swiped his glasses from the bedside table next to him and slid them on, only to see Ginny even clearer. Reluctantly he tore his newly improved gaze away from Ginny and onto the clock. However, time seemed to be in his favor.

"Ten after eight. We have ages before your mum and dad get home." He said, rolling back to her. He was immensely enjoying this heightened view of her, especially after all he had seen the night before. To his satisfaction a wicked grin crept across Ginny's face at the mention of how much time they had to spend.

"Blimey… what'll we do with all that time?" She asked, her voice a little breathless, her eyes dark with desire. Harry felt himself stiffen at the look she was giving him, and didn't blame himself. After all, she _was_ right there. And suddenly her small hands were stroking his bare back, allowing a bit of space for the cover to lift between them so that Harry could once again see more of her. Definitely more of her, from the curves of her breasts to the depression of her stomach to the curve of the muscles just above… Harry drew his mind away from that straight away. He had been so caught up the night before; he decided he would take it slower this time. So much slower, if only to make her react. Gently he moved his hand, so much larger than her small one, and grazed it along the curve between her hip and rib cage, enjoying her gasping beneath him, her red hair billowing out behind her.

"Oh no you don't." Harry was still pondering over the nature of her challenge when he felt Ginny's tiny palms slide from his back down to his member, stroking up and down deliberately. He couldn't help but groan, it was too much.

"Ginny, don't…" He started, his eyes screwed up in attempt to fight off the pleasure. He opened his eyes only to see Ginny's eyes burning, a fire lit behind them that set Harry off quicker than he could think.

"Just shut up and roll over." With that command Harry found himself being pushed onto his back, Ginny above him, her hands immediately returning to him, stroking him, circling him, causing him to moan. Slowly and calculatingly Ginny lowered herself down the bed until her mouth rested just above him. He was breathing faster, going crazy. And with one wild glance upwards Ginny was covering him with her mouth completely. He was lost, he couldn't protest, he could only attempt to keep his composure while Ginny attended to him. Yet soon this composure came to nothing, and he took to calling out her name until at last he was to the point where he could feel it would be soon, far too soon, and he felt the need to warn her.

"Ginny, it's…move…I'm…going to…" He sputtered, all of his coherency having left his mind. Ginny seemed to get the drift of what he was saying, as she promptly removed her mouth to finish him off with her hand, which didn't take much time at all. Harry came back to himself as Ginny crawled back up the bed and sweetly, almost innocently, pressed her lips to his. Harry slid an arm around her waist and brought her crashing down to him, their bodies pressed together under the fabric of her bedcovers, which felt cool compared to the increased heat of their bodies, especially as Harry was lightly sweating. She slid against him, his tongue causing hers to open and a groan to escape her. While he waited to fully recover he held her there, feeling her breasts pressed against his exposed chest, her legs against his torso. He felt the sides of her breasts, dragging his fingers across them and causing her to moan yet again until he felt he was gaining something. He worked his way down underneath her in a painfully slow movement, until at last her opening was above her face and he began to lick around the outside of her in soft slow motions. Ginny cried out in surprise, moving down towards him and yet pleading with him to stop. Knowing Ginny well enough to know that these were empty pleas, Harry continued to work his tongue in circles until instead of begging for him to stop, she was just begging in general. She was slick, and Harry's tongue slid around slightly, dipping down her entrance. This caused her to cry out again, pressing herself down to him.

Harry decided to pay more attention to the indention above her entrance, where he knew she was most sensitive. A sharp intake of breath above him let him know that he had chosen correctly, and he smiled against her at just how much Ginny was getting out of this. Quickly, as to not alert her as to what he was going to do, Harry slithered his hand under her and stuck a finger into her. Ginny cried out yet louder above him, and Harry moved to slide yet another finger into her. She was trembling, she was sweating, and he was sure that if he were able to see her face that she would have her eyes screwed up in pleasure. The mere thought of seeing Ginny's face caused Harry, who was more than recovered from his earlier enjoyment, to pull Ginny down next to him and then rise over her so that he was once again above her, his fingers still inside her. Her muscles were tight around his fingers, and she was decidedly moist. He found himself panting along with her as he looked into her face, taut with bliss. He crashed his lips to hers, and felt them press hungrily against his. As he opened his mouth to hers he pulled his fingers out of her and thrust inside swiftly. Ginny wrenched her head back from his, crying out loudly in pure delight. She was beginning to clench around her, he could feel himself throb inside her and wonder if she felt it as well. He reconciled this with pressing into her further, causing them both to shout out and shout out until Ginny cried out the loudest yet, tightening to him in a frenzy, and he felt that only recently familiar feeling of ultimate gratification. Rolling off to one side of her, Harry took Ginny in his arms and held her there until her panting subsided and her chocolate brown eyes opened and met his.

"Bloody hell, Harry. That was incredible." She said, arching out towards him. Harry kissed her on the head and agreed, loving the way she was close to him.

"I think I need a shower. You too, more than likely." Ginny muttered a few long minutes later, rolling up to kiss him tenderly before stepping out of the bed despite Harry's whimpered protests. Drawing herself up, Ginny picked up her wand and motioned for Harry to get out of the bed. He slid his arms around her waist, standing behind her as she siphoned any incriminating evidence away from the bed, and promptly made it, although haphazardly. She then turned towards him.

"Go get in your bed and kick the covers around. I'll be in the shower; when I'm out you can get in and then when you're done breakfast will be waiting." She said, still smiling. Harry kissed her quickly, and then with a wink went to go do her bidding.

Harry descended the staircases of the Burrow about an hour later, his hair still damp from his shower, a few drops stuck against the inside of his glasses. His shirt as well clung to him from the dampness of his body as he had changed, but it was just a light grip, barely enough to pull the thickly woven green fabric of his shirt in. He was barefoot, which he came to thoroughly curse as he stubbed his toe against a stray book that had been left on the third floor landing. Still, Harry continued down the stairs, walking through the light slanting in through the east facing windows on each landing. He was utterly content, and there was no doubt in his mind as to why.

Finally, things in his life were set. Voldemort was completely and utterly out of the picture. Ginny seemed to be a permanent fixture in the picture, and he was planning on returning to school with her, Ron and Hermione. It all seemed perfectly orderly, in such a way as Harry had never experienced before.

Harry could smell the heavy scent of cooking sausage long before he finally stepped down to the ground floor hallway. As he made his way to the kitchen he was also was able to isolate the scents of eggs and potatoes. Clearly, someone had gone out of their way to cook breakfast.

Rolling his eyes, Harry turned the corner to see Ginny laboring over a skillet of breakfast potatoes. Swiftly and quietly, Harry made his way up behind her, hoping not to alert her to his presence. However, she seemed absorbed in the fairing of her potatoes, as some of them were darkening at an alarming pace. As she slid her spatula under a clump of potatoes with ill grace and a small scratching noise, Harry reached out and pulled her against him. Ginny gave a quick squeal of surprise; the potatoes flinging up off of her utensil and somersaulting through the air back down onto the skillet. Harry could smell the soft wafting aroma of her shampoo as her freshly washed hair came within inches of Harry's face. It smelled like vanilla, and caused Harry to relax a bit, melting against her.

"Hello again, love." He said as she turned around in his arms, her eyes twinkling a bit as she smiled.

"You startled me." She said after a second, her voice a bit breathless.

"I missed you," was all he said, bending his head down to her and kissing her tenderly. His lips pressed against hers, and hers pressed right back. His arms tightened behind her back, lifting her up some off the ground, her arms holding tight around his neck. After a bit he let her down slowly, attempting not to go _too_ slowly least he have more of a reaction than he desired.

"Clearly." She said, a smirk riding across her lips. Harry returned her smile and spoke up.

"Miss me?" Just as he finished Ginny leapt into his arms, and he lifted her up above his head as she kissed him, his arms supporting her back as her legs wrapped around him. Gently he set her up on the countertop so as she was comfortably at his height.

As he pulled away grinning a few moments later he saw that she was grinning as well, and they both spoke in unison, "Clearly." They both fell to chuckling, resting their foreheads together, filled with contentment. Ginny sighed, her hand running across Harry's neck.

"I love you so much." He said quietly, brushing back a stray lock of her fiery hair. It was still straight today, and shining golden in the light coming in from the kitchen windows. She had it down over her sunny yellow shirt, which brought out the lighter tones in her hair.

"Love you too." She said as he took her hands in his, holding both hands between them as they stayed there until they heard an unpleasant sizzling noise accompanied by an even more unpleasant smell.

"Damn." She said as Harry turned to see the breakfast potatoes burning on the skillet. Ginny slid down lithely from the counter and pulled out her wand, muttering a few curse words under her breath before finally brandishing her wand at the potatoes and speaking a charm to lift the ruined food away from the pan and transport it to the garbage.

"Tisk tisk, someone's using magic a tad early. You won't be legal for another month and a half or so, missy." Harry said, leaning against the counter nonchalantly. Ginny turned on him with a fake indignant glare.

"I live in an all-magic house. There's not going to be any letters complaining of magic used here." She said, straightening her back, though Harry knew that even if the ministry didn't have complaint, her mother would. He only shrugged and grinned at her, and she grinned back. It wasn't as though Ginny's rebellious streak was a problem with him, after all.

"So, now that the potatoes are ruined, that narrows it down to sausage, bacon, eggs, toast with marmalade or jam, and, well, I think that's it. So, help yourself." She said, shrugging as she scooped some food onto her plate.

"You're too good to me. I'd have settled with cold cereal. Or even hot cereal. I'm not picky." He said, reaching over her to the bacon as an excuse to put his head close to her ear, his breath causing her hair to flutter forward.

"Hush." She said, but Harry could tell that she was blushing. Gently, Harry pressed a kiss to her cheek before sitting down at the table, his plate full of breakfast foods in hand. He pulled the chair next to him out for Ginny to sit in before pouring a glass of orange juice out of the pitcher Ginny had placed on the table.

"Don't we usually sit across from each other?" She asked bemusedly as she took her seat, reaching for pepper for her eggs.

"Yes, that would be the usual circumstance, but I want you close enough to touch." Harry said wickedly, running his hand down her side to emphasize his point.

"Well then, I suppose adjustments can be made." She said coyly, taking a bite of egg.

A few hours later found the couple cuddling on the sofa in the sitting room, kissing and whispering to each other. Yet suddenly Ginny's head perked up at movement on the clock, and she quickly shuffled a few inches away from Harry, sending him a quick wink. Only a few seconds later the door opened, and in walked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, followed by a sulky Ron and Hermione. Both men were laden with bags, obviously on request from Mrs. Weasley that as men they should be the ones to carry them.

"Hello, dears. Everything go over well last night?" Mrs. Weasley asked, the most chipper of the bunch.

"Yeah, mum, everything was fine. Harry and I were just wondering when you all were getting home. Did you have a good time?" Ginny asked, turning and beaming at her mother. Arthur and Ron were starting up the staircase with the purchases, and Hermione shot Ron an apologetic look and pulled out her wand. After a quick flick, Ron smiled, lifting the bags higher. Apparently, Hermione had reduced the weight of the contents of the bag.

"Oh, a lovely time. I best start lunch, it'll be ready in a few minutes." Molly said, and trotted off to the kitchen, leaving Harry, Hermione and Ginny alone in the sitting room, an awkward pause settling over them. Hermione sat down in a chair to the right of the sofa, obviously frustrated.

"So, Gin, I take it you used the potion I made you?" Hermione asked, sending Ginny a secretive smile. Confused, Harry spoke up.

"What potion?"

"Yes, though I need to ask you… how long are the effects? I should have asked you before, I feel like such an idiot…" She said, a bit of worry coloring her voice.

"What potion? What effects?"

"Oh, long enough for sure." Hermione answered with a wink.

"But until morning? Long enough for that? Or do I need to take more? Or another potion?"

"What are you talking about? What potion?" Asked Harry, still incredulous.

"You should be fine… did you drink the whole flask? If you did, definitely. If not, well, I'll look it up…"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Harry nearly yelled, exasperated at the conversation going on over his head.

"Shh! Merlin Harry, you're oblivious. _The_ potion. You know, the one that made last night possible!" Ginny muttered, and turned back to Hermione as Harry's mouth formed a comprehending 'O' shape and he wished dearly that he wasn't privy to this particular conversation. "I drank the whole thing, so you're sure I'll be fine?"

"Absolutely. I put some extra in there, so as long as you drank it all you'll be fine. I'm brewing more, so if…" but her sentence was cut off by Ron's sudden appearance at the bottom of the stairs, looking confused.

"Drank all what?" He asked, turning from his sister to his girlfriend. Both girls' eyes widened, coloring slightly. Harry downcast his eyes, fearing what would happen if he met eyes with his best friend.

"Errrr..Energy drinks!" Hermione said, almost too brightly. "I made Ginny and Harry energy drinks for their Quidditch practices, so that they can practice longer." She said. Harry hazarded to raise his eyes to see Ron's face slightly confused, but accepting. Finally, it turned to a smile.

"Hermione, you've gotta stop freaking out every time you break a rule. You've been through hell and back out with us. By now you should be used to it." He said, sitting down on the arm of her chair and leaning forward to kiss her on top of her head. Hermione cast her eyes back and forth, grimacing slightly at the lie she was feeding Ron. "I should, shouldn't I?" She muttered, her look radiating sheer apology.

Yet she was saved by the appearance of Mr. Weasley on the staircase, ducking his head down to see under the ledge in order to address them.

"Hey, Harry, Ron and Hermione already know, but Kingsley's swinging by for lunch. He wants to talk to you three. That alright?" He asked as he came down to the short hallway before reaching the sitting room. Next to him, Harry saw that Ginny was slightly disgruntled that she was going to be left out of the conversation. Harry squeezed her hand, causing her to smile at him.

"Perfect, Mr. Weasley." Harry said with a nod, feeling a bit awkward that he was holding hands with Ginny in front of her father. But Mr. Weasley only seemed to be uplifted by the fact that Harry was holding hands with his daughter, and went on into the kitchen where Harry could hear some upbeat mutterings between him and his wife.

"Wonder what Kingsley needs to talk to us about?" Ron said, absentmindedly toying with a few strands of Hermione's hair. Now relaxed by the change of topic, Hermione leaned back against him, looking fully at peace.

"I dunno. Maybe something about who we saw during the battle or something like that. Figuring out who's still missing." Harry answered.

"Doubt it. I'm sure they have a list compiled by now. Besides, if it were the invitation would include Ginny." Hermione said, graciously including Ginny into the picture.

"Hmph. I'm always left out of things." Ginny huffed, crossing her arms. Harry pulled her towards him by her torso, so that she was leaning against him.

"That's just because you weren't even supposed to be fighting. I about died when you ran away from the room of requirement to go fight." He said, sliding an arm around her and hugging her to him.

"Psh, like you expected me to just stand outside the room and do nothing while there was a fight going on?" She said, looking up at him.

"Well, no, but still…" Harry stammered to no effect. She had him there; it would have been more than uncharacteristic for Ginny to have obeyed Mrs. Weasley and stayed out of the fight.

"Ginny has a point though, Harry. She fought; even more she was part of the resistance at Hogwarts. What does Kingsley have to say to us that he doesn't have to say to us that he doesn't need to say to Ginny?" Hermione reasoned.

"Maybe it has something to do with our travels? What and who we saw?" Ron wondered aloud.

"That could be it… but no, we've already informed Mr. Weasley what happened. Surely he told Kingsley about it?" Hermione said, deep in thought as Ron stroked a hand through her hair.

"Well I think you all will just have to see… here comes Kingsley now." Ginny spoke up, leaning back to gaze out the window again. From Harry's vantage point he could just see the dark form of Kingsley Shacklebolt stepping up the door, which he promptly knocked. Harry could hear Mrs. Weasley answering the door and enthusiastically bringing Kingsley into the house. Harry instinctively had an ill boding feeling; all other meetings with ministers of magic had been less than pleasant on Harry's behalf. Still, this had to be different, he encouraged himself. Kingsley was on their side, had always been on Dumbledore's. There was no reason to feel apprehensive about meeting someone Harry had always been extremely comfortable around. Breathing deeply, he stood up to greet Kingsley.

"Hello, Mr. Shacklebolt!" Said Hermione a little too brightly as the dark man stepped into the room, garnering sharp looks from Harry, Ron and Ginny. This however was either lost to or prepared for by Kingsley Shacklebolt, as he merely nodded to Hermione.

"Hello," said both Ron and Harry together, shooting each other looks of disdain. Kingsley again only nodded at them both, and the act of not greeting them warmly irked Harry. Ginny, sitting next to Harry, looked a little awkward. He shot her a warm glance, and she smiled a little in return, although still looking as though she didn't know how to excuse herself.

"I'll… be in my room. See you all at lunch." Ginny said quietly, almost a mumble as she quickly strode out of the room, eyes downcast except to shoot the trio looks that clearly said _and awaiting an explanation of what the hell is going on._ This seemed to take a wait from Shacklebolt, as he took a seat on one of the sofas after Ginny had shut the door. Harry and the others followed suit, Ron coming to sit next to Harry on the sofa.

"Now, have the three of you made plans as to what you will do next year?" Shacklebolt asked, his deep voice resonating slightly in the silence of the room. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, but it was Hermione who spoke up.

"Of course; we plan to go back to Hogwarts." She almost challenged, her voice holding a hint of danger that only Harry and Ron could pick up, causing them to stiffen slightly in case of any confrontation between Hermione and Kingsley. However, Shacklebolt again failed to acknowledge the tone of Hermione's voice, and only went on.

"Normally, I would congratulate you on the choice. As it is, I was wondering if I could persuade you to change it. You three are of age and have proved yourselves more than trained and capable. I don't know if you've heard, but I have recently been approved to continue to act as Minister of Magic for the time being. My first official act is to reorganize the entire ministry, starting with the auror office. You three are the first three I am considering for the job. I plan on meeting with a few of your peers in the near future, but right now my focus is on you three. If you really wish to continue with your education or take another career path, that is your choice. But I want you to know that this is a choice as well." He said before pausing, hoping for them to speak up. When none of them did, he started again. "You don't have to answer right away, but I would appreciate you to consider it. Any questions?" He asked, the last question more of a plea. Harry stared at the floor, letting it sink in.

He had always wanted to be an auror, he reflected. He felt relieved that for once he was being asked to take part in the ministry in a way he _wished_ to take part in the ministry. Making it less corrupt, there was a plan. But there was more to think on than only the plan of working as an auror. Not that Harry was particularly interested in returning back to the castle. He loved it like a home, but his long sojourn around the country caused him to realize that it was a childhood home: one he could visit, but never truly belong anymore. He had planned to adjust back into the swing of things for his last year at school, but he knew it would be awkward being back in his retreat, his stronghold that he needed to break free of. But the one thing he was looking forward to about returning to school was the time he would be able to spend with Ginny. True, they would both be preparing for their NEWT exams, but they would be able to do it _together_. Harry felt a long conversation coming on.

"Well, if we're all on one page about this, I believe Molly will have dinner ready shortly. I need to go speak to Arthur about some objects found in Gloucester, I'll see you again at dinner." Kingsley said, standing up and walking from the room. Once the door was shut again, Harry looked up to see Ron and Hermione looking down.

"So." It was all Harry could manage, now that his seemingly concrete plans had been turned on their heads and shaken until they split. To be an auror… to help the country recover…

"I'm not going to do it. I don't want to be an auror, I'm going back to school." Said Hermione decidedly, looking up, eyes bright.

"Then I'll go back with you. We've been in this too long together, I'm not splitting us all up now." Ron voiced on his back to sit on the edge of Hermione's chair again, taking her hand in his.

"Oh no you're not. This is your choice Ronald; you're not making it because of me." She said, meeting his eyes. Harry, feeling a bit awkward, stood up.

"I'll go fill in Ginny." He said, exiting the room and avoiding listening to his best friends' opinions.

Once upstairs, Harry rapped his knuckles on the door twice, leaning into it. "Ginny?" He asked, his cheek pressed against the dark oak of the door. He heard a quiet allowance from inside, and opened the door gently, walking in just a bit before shutting it behind him again. "Hey."

"Hey. So what did he have say?" Ginny asked from her position sitting on the bed, a red leather book dangling from her hand. Harry strode over and sat at the bottom of the bed, his back propped up against the wall. He couldn't meet her eyes, not when his answer had instinctively come to his mind and there was no backing down from it.

"He wants the three of us to enter the ministry as aurors. Now." He said, staring at his feet stretched out across the width of the bed from him. He could hear Ginny's sharp intake of breath, but couldn't bear to look at her.

"And you said?" She prompted quietly, her voice wavering slightly.

"Nothing. I wanted to discuss it with you first." He said, hazarding a glance up at her. Her hardened face so familiar to him was gazing towards him, their eyes locking.

"But you want to do it." She said, not a question but a statement. Harry opened his mouth, ready to deny it, to declare he wanted to go to Hogwarts, to say that he would still be spending the next year with her in perfect contentment at the school where they had so many memories together, both good and bad, uplifting and scary. But he couldn't do it. His mind had made itself the second the decision had been made, and his heart couldn't steer it back from its decision. So Harry only looked back down and muttered a single word: "Yes."

Ginny moved down the bed to him, kneeling next to him, facing him. He wondered if she was going to slap him, if she was going to yell. However, he had a gut feeling that that wasn't going to happen, she moved much too gently for that. And he found himself correct as he felt Ginny's cold, soft hands take hold of his face ever so tenderly and lift his face up so that he was looking at her. "Then you better as hell make sure that you're on every damn assignment to Hogwarts and Hogsmeade."

Before Harry could make sure that she was okay with this, before he could thank her, before he could think, her lips were on his sweetly. Yet just as soon as the kiss began it was over, Ginny pulling away. Harry tucked a stray lock of hair behind Ginny's ear and smiled. "You're an angel. Tell me what exactly I did to deserve you?" He asked, scooting down a bit so that he was only leaning against the wall now, a bit more relaxed. Ginny, now sitting cross legged, shrugged coyly.

"I dunno… saved the wizarding world, saved my life, saved your godfather, beat Voldemort, fought out Voldemort when he _possessed_ you, formed a resistance effort, found and destroyed all the horcruxes and subsequently killed the darkest wizard of all times… all that _might_ have something to do with it." She said, shooting him a wicked grin.

"Are you sure it's not because of this?" Harry asked, kissing her and pulling her to him, clasping her hand and leading it down so she could feel his hardness.

"Oh, there's that too," she said with a little moan, "but if I were to take advantage of that little benefit I don't think my family would let you out of the house alive." She said, her voice filled with remorse. "We better go down for dinner, Mr. Auror." She said, smiling at him as she stood up from the bed, his hand in hers. As Harry followed her down to dinner where he would accept Kingsley's offer, Harry once again thought over how just that morning everything had been concrete; everything had been planned for. But now he was going into a career, and everything was up in the air. Where would he live? How often would he see Ginny? It was all a mess, but somehow, instinctively, Harry knew he would adjust.


End file.
